Afflicted
by Insanity-Plus
Summary: Ichigo is cursed, swayed by his emotions and the moon. He believes he'll never have a normal life, but can rich, spoiled, party-girl Rukia Kuchiki prove him wrong? Mainly IchiRuki, some IchiSenn. Rated for Language, Sex, and Gore. Werewolf Fic.
1. Prologue

**Read profile for description.**

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><p><em>Life rarely goes as planned- if ever. At birth, your parents set a goal for you to fulfill, a dream they conjured up with the intention of making you as happy as possible. In childhood, when you decide your destiny does not lay in the hands of your parents, you plan your own course to follow. But as a child, your dreams are usually outrageous and most likely will never come true, and when your teenage years begin you realize this harsh fact and move on to see where life takes you. Sometimes you have a plan, other times you're unsure. But the simple fact remains: Life rarely goes as planned. <em>

_Ichigo Kurosaki knows this with all of his heart. It's a terrible truth that he has not only accepted, but has proven himself to be the prime example of. _

_Fifteen, in his first semester of high school, the boy lay in a growing pool of his own blood somewhere off in the woods. It didn't exactly register what had happened in his brain until at least six whole minutes after it had actually happened. He gurgled, the strong metallic taste stinging his tongue as he choked in breath after breath. Desperately, he tried to cling onto consciousness, but the blackness was ebbing away at his blurred vision, and he would soon succumb to that dreadful dreamless sleep that seemed more an endless void rather than the back of his eyelids._

_There was a lot of noise around him, but he couldn't tell if it was far off or right in front of him. The world was spinning, the smell of blood and fire making him all the more dizzy. He forced his head over to try and sneak a peak at the carnage around him, only to find that what had done this had left already. He didn't know what had scared it off, but when he spotted the prone figure not too far from his own he completely forgot about what had done this to him. _

"_M-mother..." Ichigo called out weakly, trying to force himself up and over to her. But his body was numb, a throbbing sensation pulsing through his limbs directing from the crook between his shoulder and neck. He coughed, blood spilling down his chin. He shivered in the cold of the night, tears running down his face as he stared at the bloodied and lifeless body of his beloved mother. _

_They'd say it was a bear attack, or maybe some escaped animal from the zoo. A few of the cages had been torn open not too long before, and some animals were missing, while others were dead. "Torn to pieces and shredded into gory messes" the headlines said of the animals...and of his own mom. _

_The police would scatter their men across the forest in search of what had attacked the Kurosaki clan, only to find more dead animals and odd markings in the mud. They'd never solve the mystery, much to the dismay of the town and its mourning inhabitants. They would bring cakes and send cards or money to try and help appease the pain the rest of the Kurosaki family felt at their loss. They would try to sympathize, try to lend a shoulder to cry on. But it was all in vain, because the Kurosaki's weren't ones to mope and spill their guts. They would huddle together, pray for the victims of this night, and wish a peaceful death for all._

_Ichigo turned over, still choking on his own blood as he stared into the starry night, praying for death to take away this pain. Not of the body- he was so numb that all he could feel was the terrible throbbing which promised him pain later- but of the heart. He closed his eyes, letting the darkness take him as the lingering image of his mother smiling at him flashed before his mind. He'd join her soon, and wouldn't let her be alone in the after life. _

_Sadly, no such bliss came..._

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	2. Days Since Incident: 0

**This is the first chapter to my new story. If you've read my profile, then you understand where I am with this thing. If you haven't, please go ahead and do so to stay in the loop!**

**My apologizes for any grammatical errors and all instances when it seems I've rushed the scene! I'm hoping this story does good, because I love it and have been writing for it a lot. Though, I ought to be working on MY story...**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

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><p><em>Days since incident: 0.<em>

Ichigo groggily opened his eyes, blasted by the powerful smell of iron and running water. He squinted through the light, feeling a cold breeze rush by his naked body. He shivered, the action bringing notice to the terrible aches that racked his torso and limbs. He groaned loudly, curling up into a ball to try and warm himself up from the cold of the morning. It was the beginning of winter, and had he been out here like this a month or two later he'd have died of hypothermia by now.

Ichigo lay there for a long moment, shivering and trying to remember what had happened to bring him here. But nothing came to mind, except for the horrible pain. The pain that haunted his dreams every night and his mind every day. He could never have a moment of reprieve, could never let his guard down lest the pain come and torture him yet again as if taunting him over having such wishes for peace. He whimpered at the thought, forcing himself up and towards the lake that sat a few feet away from him.

He had to be thankful the Thing always came to the nearest water source before settling down and letting him back in control. He crawled his way towards the water, his throat sore and his body covered in mud. He sat up on his hands and knees and dunked his head into the lake, letting the cold water wet his hair and wash away the foul taste of iron from his mouth. He gratefully drank, ignoring his lungs when they started to burn. He pulled back with a satisfied sigh, relishing in the refreshing taste of water.

Looking down at the water, he caught sight of himself. His usually spiky orange hair was soaked, clinging to his forehead, and his handsome face was stained with mud and...blood. He frowned deeply at the smearing of crimson around his mouth, blotching his cheeks and spotting his chest. He looked down at his hands and found the stuff all over his fingers and caking under his nails. Normally he would panic at the sight of blood, but he was so use to it by now that all he had to do was sniff it to make sure it wasn't human. And, after raising his left hand and smelling it, was assured it was just from a deer.

He began to wash away the blood, dipping his hands and scrubbing them under the water before rubbing it off his face and chest. He would have jumped into the lake to properly bathe himself, but it was too cold and he would probably get sick from doing something so stupid. So he just scooped up as much water into his hands and scrubbed his body, cleansing him of the muck. He wished he was home right now, in his bed, under the covers, warm and cozy in his small apartment off in downtown Karakura. He lived in a small room above the _Urahara Shoten_, renting out the space from the owner of the shop who was also his boss. Ichigo worked for Urahara, his God father, earning a measly amount of money along with paying for his renting of the apartment. It wasn't big, not at all, just a living room with his bed in the corner and his dresser in the other.

As much as he may hate it, it was convenient. He couldn't stay with his family with this problem, for fear of the blood being theirs when he next awoke, and not many other places would let a seventeen year old rent out an apartment. Urahara was an old friend of Ichigo's father, so he was happy to help the young man out by giving him the place to stay and a job to help pay for it. Urahara may be a crazy old bastard, but Ichigo was in dept to the man's kindness.

Plus, the building was close to the woods.

Once he was satisfied with how clean he was, Ichigo began the long trek back to the _Urahara Shoten._ He was used to this journey, used to the way he walked completely naked through the woods; cold and alone and wet. He trudged his way along, ignoring the sticks that cut into his feet and the branches that stabbed into his skin from all different angles. He found his way back to the building by scent alone, smelling the air for the familiar sense of _home._

Ichigo made it back safely and without running into anyone- always a strange situation to be in- to his humble abode. He was lucky Urahara didn't actually live here, otherwise the old man would wonder what it was Ichigo did out in the woods at night that made him come home so early in the morning naked and dirty. Urahara had once lived in the apartment Ichigo now inhabited, but had moved on once he got married and had children into a bigger house a few streets away. Now the apartment was Ichigo's, and the shop was locked up out of his reach until Urahara came by to start up the day.

He moved to the back door and found it slightly ajar. He frowned at that, figuring he must have been in his apartment when IT happened. He shook his head and entered the warmth of the building. He sighed, glad to be free of the forest, and made his way to the stairs that led up to his room.

The door to his apartment was wide open, and he had the sudden memory of him running out of it screaming in pain. _That's right_, he thought. It was starting to come back to him now, how he had ended up outside like this. Stepping into his living space, it all came flooding back.

Ichigo had been doing his homework on his desk by the bed, letting the little TV his father gave him run some cartoon in the background when it had happened. He had been stressed a lot lately; idiots who thought he was weird trying to fight him, tests barraging him left and right, the large amount of time spent working downstairs to earn his keep and the fear of IT happening had all contributed to the growing stress that plagued him.

At his desk, late at night, he had sighed and it seemed as if that sealed the deal.

Ichigo looked at the ruined pile of papers scattered along his desk and the floor. He had slammed his arms down onto the desk when the pain hit him, throwing his homework across the floor and falling back in his chair, screaming. He had stumbled onto his feet and crashed his way out of the room, throwing open the door and running out into the woods, destroying his clothes and leaving the building open to any and all people who wanted inside.

He closed the door behind him, quietly picking up his crumpled pieces of homework pages and stacking them up on his desk. The TV was still on, playing some other stupid show he didn't really care for. He turned it off and glanced the clock that sat upside down on his bed, blaring its bright red numbers at him as if taunting him that he had only an hour before school started. Groaning, he quickly searched through his dresser and pulled out a spare uniform before running into the shower.

–

Later, once he was showered and dressed and had taken a few painkillers, Ichigo was running along the streets towards his high school at full pace. The only downside of living at the _Urahara Shoten_ was that it was on the other side of town from his school. He had to normally leave an_ hour_ before school started to make it there on time. He hated running to school, making him sweaty and light headed, but he had only thirty minutes left before the first bell rang and if he didn't haul ass he was going to be late.

Ichigo sped along the streets, not caring for the passerby that he almost ran into. A benefit of having this condition was that he was nearly twice as fast as he would have been without it, so he was making good time as he pumped his legs towards school. The people all looked at him oddly, some seeing his uniform and understanding while others sneered as he gave no heed to traffic. His bag was held tightly in his hand, his unfinished homework unceremoniously thrown into it, and his hair was still wet from the shower. He looked just as he was: A late student trying to make it on time.

The school came into his sights, and he grinned as he glanced his watch to find he still had fifteen minutes before class started. He was so glad to have made it that he barely noticed the sleek white limousine coming straight at him. It was too late as he turned his head and saw it coming, the driver not noticing the orange haired teen running right in front of him. Ichigo fell over the hood of the car, his body slamming hard against the metal. He yelled out in shock, rolling as the driver hit the brakes and sent him forward onto the ground like a rag-doll.

"Holy crap!" The driver jumped out from his seat, running to help the fallen teen. "Are you alright?"

Ichigo groaned, holding his aching back as he lay on the ground. "That hurt!" He grounded out through clenched teeth, forcing himself up onto his feet, leaning against the limousine for support.

The driver, an elderly man wearing a tattered suit, moved to help Ichigo stand, but the teen waved him off. "Are you alright? Can you stand on your own?"

Ichigo snorted. "I'm fine," He said, shaking as he stood upright. He rubbed his lower back, where the blunt of the blow had gone. The pain would go away, he wasn't worried. "Swear, this won't even leave a scar." He said, trying to dismiss the man's worry.

"Please young man!" The driver insisted. "You must go to the hospital! You may have a concussion or something! No one can take a hit like that and just walk away!" He was frantic, trying to reach for his phone and call for help.

_You've obviously never met me._ Ichigo thought with a frown. "No, it's fine! Promise! Just-" He heard the bell ring behind him and cursed aloud. "Ah! School!" He turned, ignoring the man's insistence that he go to the hospital, and made a bee-line for the front entrance through the courtyard.

"Youth today..." The old man driver sighed, watching Ichigo run into the building, as if he hadn't just been hit by a moving vehicle. He shook his head, looking over just as the back door of the limousine opened. "Oh! I am terribly sorry about that disaster, miss." He said, walking up as his young master stepped out of the limousine.

–

"And don't be late again!" Ms. Ochi was reprimanding Ichigo yet again. He stood in the front of his class, frowning and bowing in apology to his teacher as she ranted on about delinquents and tardiness. He just stood there and took it in stride, knowing not to fight back when the teacher was on one of her tirades. The other students chuckled at him, happy for the distraction from actual school work.

"It won't happen again," Ichigo said with only half conviction. He'd never be late _on purpose_, that he could promise, but he couldn't honestly say he won't be late _ever_ again. "Promise." He finished dully, knowing it was a lie.

Ms. Ochi seemed to have not noticed the bland way he spoke, and just nodded and told him to take his seat by the window. Ichigo did as instructed, not uttering another word or passing a second glance at the snickering students around him. He had enough on his plate as it was, and he didn't want anymore fighting going on between him and others. As if last night wasn't proof that it was taking a toll on him. He slouched down onto his desk, laying his aching head on top of his school bag to let himself relax for a moment before he began his studies. His whole body still was sore, especially after the incident outside. His muscles ached, his skin on fire from the trek here, and his head throbbed with a splitting headache. If he could just close his eyes and relax for just a second...

"Psst!" Ichigo nearly jumped out of his skin when someone poked him in the side. He turned to the desk behind him, narrowing his eyes at the person who dared to disturb him.

"What?" He said sullenly.

"Kurosaki-kun! Why are you late?" Orihime Inoue asked him with a small pout.

Ichigo scowled at her, trying to think of something quick to say. "Um...alarm was broken..." He said lamely, scratching the back of his head. "I didn't wake up until an hour ago," That was true, at least.

"Your alarm was broken?" She gave him a dubious look, almost if she didn't believe him. He flushed, berating himself for coming up with such a stupid- "I can lend you one of mine, Kurosaki-kun! I have three; one for my bedroom, one for my bathroom, and an extra one just in case of..." By now he had tuned her out.

Ichigo thanked the lord that Orihime was so air headed. She was a pretty, young girl with abnormally large sized breasts and long auburn hair that was pinned away from her face by her favorite blue hair-clips. She smiled at him, something so many other men would die for, and Ichigo just shrugged her off. She had been his friend for little over a year now and he was use to the charms she played without even knowing it, unlike the boys around them who swooned at her pearly white smile.

_A dangerous thing, a woman who doesn't know how to control the weapon known as beauty. _Ichigo thought absentmindedly as she continued to talk about whatever nonsense that was going through her mind at the moment. He just sat there, nodding as if listening, while looking off into space and thinking of nothing.

"Oh! My brilliant young minds! I almost forgot!" Ms. Ochi exclaimed when there was a knock on the door to the classroom. She smiled brightly at everyone, her usual rotten mood gone. "We have a new student coming in today, so please be nice to her! She's rich!" The teacher gushed, walking over to slide open the door to reveal a petite young girl with raven colored hair and donning the school uniform.

"Everyone, say hello to-"

"Kuchiki Rukia," The girl introduced, smiling smugly at the class, cutting off Ms. Ochi. "Nice to meet you all." She said charmingly.

"Yes," Ms. Ochi smiled, holding back her contempt for being interrupted. "Kuchiki-san, why don't you share a little of yourself to the rest of the class?" She urged.

"Alright," She shrugged. "As I said, I am Kuchiki Rukia. Sister to Kuchiki Byakuya, the head of Kuchiki Enterprises. I like to draw, go shopping, and party." She grinned, winking as the guys swooned.

Ichigo frowned deeply when he heard collective whispers spread throughout the classroom like a forest fire. The men were already fixated on her looks, on her raven hair that flowed about her lithe shoulders, on her violet eyes that shone with confidence, transfixed by her strong, yet effeminate stance. He had to admit, she was pretty, but by no means was he like all the other drooling hounds around him.

_Ironic._

"That's good," Ms. Ochi said, shaking her head at the boys of her classroom. "You may go sit down in that empty seat next to Kurosaki-san." She waved her hand and moved back to the chalkboard, starting up the lesson plan for the day.

Ichigo watched as Rukia moved by him and sat down in the desk next to him. He recognized her name, as did most of the students in the class. Kuchiki Enterprises was nationwide famous for their ownership of over a span of other companies, dealing from children toys all the way up to hospitals. They were beyond rich, last he heard of them. So why was such a high class girl coming to this middle-class school?

"Take a picture, may last longer."

Ichigo was pulled from his reverie when Rukia gave him a knowing smile. He scowled at her, looking away flustered. "Like I'd want a picture of you." He muttered, embarrassed for having been caught staring.

"What was that?" Rukia's smile dissipated and she gave him a scathing look.

He snorted. "I said: _Like I'd want a picture of you._"

Rukia's eyes narrowed and her lips formed a thin frown. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime again poked him in the side and he had to resist the urge to growl at her. "Be nice to Kuchiki-san!" She whispered in a tone of scolding.

"Listen to your girlfriend," Rukia sneered, looking back forward, huffing as if dismissing him.

Ichigo ground his teeth together. "First: She's _not _my girlfriend," He said, making Orihime shrink back into her seat. "second: it's none of your business who I am. So just shove it you little spoiled midget!" He hissed.

Rukia's face turned beat red as he said this, turning back to him with a look of contempt. "You filthy commoner! How _dare_ you speak to me that way!" She snarled, shivering in pure anger.

Ichigo was about to retort, about to tell her off for calling him filthy, but a piece of chalk hit him in the head and both of their attention was directed to the front of the class where Ms. Ochi scowled at them.

"Are you done arguing,_ children?_" The older woman said.

Ichigo reluctantly nodded, returning the heated glare that came from the girl sitting next to him.

–

As lunchtime rolled around, Ichigo found that the hit he took from the car had done a worse number on him than he thought. After a few agonizing moments he was up on his feet and moving along the throngs of students exiting the classroom. Orihime asked if he was alright at seeing his crouched form, but he quickly dismissed her worries and she just nodded at him.

"Hey, Ichigo!" Tatsuki, Orihime's best friend, called as she placed a hand on Orihime's shoulder. "Want to come eat with us? It's been awhile since we talked."

Ichigo frowned, feeling his stomach growl. He was starving, and the thought of food made his mouth salivate. "Oh...I would but I don't have anything to eat, so I'm just going to read for a little while-"

"We'll come with you to buy something," Tatsuki interjected, persistent. Orihime nodded her agreement, staying silent for some reason.

Ichigo just shook his head. "I don't have any money on me." He said. In his haste to get to school he had forgotten his usual bento box and whatever spare money he could manage. So now he was left without food or money.

Tatsuki frowned at him, about to say something but was cut off as Rukia walked by the three.

"It must suck to be poor," She said, raising her nose high in the air.

Ichigo turned to the shorter girl, scowling at her insult. "I'm not _poor_," He defended. "just forgot to bring money with me."

Rukia scoffed, looking up at him with a smug look on her face. She was much shorter than him, almost by a full foot, yet she acted as if she was larger than him. "The things _poor_ people say to appease themselves." She said and turned away, leaving before he could retort.

Ichigo surged with anger, feeling his head throb from heat and his fists clench on their own accord. "Bitch..." He growled, glaring at the doorway where she had just left.

"Wonder what's her problem?" Tatsuki said, shaking her head. "First day and she acts like she owns this place." She snorted unladylike.

"Tatsuki-chan! Be nice to the new girl!" Orihime exclaimed, much the same way she had to Ichigo earlier. "She's a Kuchiki, very rich and famous! You don't want to be on her bad side, do you?" She started waving her arms in an exaggerated motion. "What if she hires someone to kill you? Or Ichigo? Or me?"

Tatsuki waved her away. "I don't care. Bring the hit men on, right Ichigo?" She grinned at him, nudging his shoulder.

Ichigo just nodded, still seething.

Tatsuki frowned at him. "Well, since Ichigo here is being a weirdo and doesn't want to eat with us, c'mon Orihime!" She grabbed her friend's wrist and led her out of the room, leaving the orange haired teen alone.

"Tatsuki-chan..." Orihime whined quietly.

"I know," Tatsuki shook her head, her short, spiky black hair brushing against her forehead. "We'll get him next time, Orihime. I promise."

–

Ichigo spent his lunch on the roof finishing the homework he had left behind the night before. His mind was still in a fuzz, and it was hard to really concentrate on the numbers when all he could think about was that spoiled little brat somewhere in the building. He knew he shouldn't be so furious, especially since he knew what could come of it if it truly went on. But she got under his skin, and she had gotten the last word.

He tried to calm himself as he sat alone on the school roof. He took in the fresh, crispy air and inhaled it deep into his nostrils, smelling the scents of the teenagers around the building in the courtyard. He could smell the boys laughing near the gates, could smell Tatsuki and Orihime in their group eating by their usual tree. He could trace the direction many other students took after leaving the grounds for their lunch. And..._oh dear god_...he scrunched up his nose as he caught a whiff of a couple having sex somewhere around the back of the building.

"Come on people," He sighed, trying to block out the smell, but now that he knew it was there he couldn't ignore it and had to stand and enter the building. He'd do the work at his desk, the only other place where he could find any peace throughout the duration of lunch.

Descending the stairs felt like a tedious task, what with his sore limbs and unenthusiastic disposition. Every step felt like an eternity in his world. In this moment where his anger was bubbled by that rich brat and his nostrils inflamed by the smell of teenage sex he felt the usual depression wash over him like a tidal wave. He usually could stow it, but at moments like this he couldn't help but sit back and marvel at how messed up he was now.

_That night...two years ago will haunt me forever..._ He thought as he reached the bottom of the stairs and walked towards his classroom. The hallways had a sparse number of students lingering around, waiting for the bell to ring to signal the beginning of class. He looked into each of their faces, so unaware and uncaring of the world around them. What was out there didn't matter to them, because ignorance is bliss, and the only thing they had to worry about was the test coming up or what they were going to wear on their date this Friday. Ichigo wished he too was one of the unaware people walking the streets without any fear of what may come out from the darkness- whether it be from beyond the swing set or from the deepest recess of their own mind.

As he entered the classroom and sat at his desk, he sighed and began his homework, letting all of the thoughts in his head fester until they became stale and he was left a numb drone who worked solely on autopilot.

–

The rest of the school day went by much too slowly for Ichigo. His body had healed rather nicely, and he wasn't flinching at every movement like he had been doing earlier, but he still felt the painful tingle from where he was hit by that car and could still feel the aches in his muscles.

He had gotten his homework done- _thank god-_ and was sedated from his own depressing thoughts for now. The distraction of school was a nifty thing indeed, he concluded.

After the bell rang he stood from his seat and packed his things while the other students filed out of the room. He wasn't in too much of a hurry to leave, like these other teenagers. They had lives to attend to, friends to go hang out with. He didn't.

He wished sometimes that he could tell someone about his issue, so that he could at least have someone to talk to and be on his side in the matter. Ichigo wished he had a _friend_ who he could trust with this horrible secret; to help him maintain balance between normalcy and..._this_, whatever he was. But he couldn't tell _anyone_, for fear of them thinking he was insane. They'd try to lock him up, try to treat him as a mental patient, then when he actually Changed he'd kill them all. Then they'd experiment on him, arrest his family, force him to transform and test his abilities, then eventually they'd leave him for dead once they learned what they wanted from him.

He was destined to be alone. He accepted that, and had grown to the idea. Ichigo couldn't jeopardize anyone's life with his curse. Or disease. He wasn't sure _what_ It was, all he knew was that he himself was a ticking time bomb ready to go off at any moment.

As he walked out of the class, he caught the gaze of Rukia Kuchiki. She was glaring at him, still peeved about their earlier squabble. He returned the glare, still just as pissed as he was before about her 'poor' comment.

_Take a picture, it'll last longer._ He thought snidely, ignoring her and walking out of the school. As per usual, he'd go straight back to his apartment to start work then study all night until he fell asleep.

_I truly am destined to be alone...aren't I?_

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><p><strong>Alright! That was the end of chapter one. I hope you guys liked it! I loved writing it, especially the beginning when he wakes up. It was fun! <strong>

**I hope that you guys love the story! I will post again in about two weeks. I will make a list of dates in my profile within the next few days for you all to know when to come back to this story! **

**Spread the love, babies!**

**REVIEW!**


	3. Days Since Incident: 1

**Hello my little readers! Happy to have me back? I know you are, because the chip I implanted into your brain makes you ecstatic every time I enter the room...I mean...screw it. You heard what I said. **

**I decided to update early, seeing as I got such positive reviews for the first chapter! I will be reworking the schedule behind this whole thing, replacing next week's update with chapter three rather than this chapter. I hope you guys like this chapter, because really I'm a little iffy on it. Solely because it's a bit...slow. Ain't much action going on for at least another three chapters after this one. I may quicken those three chapter updates solely because of this fact...we'll see!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

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><p><em>Days since incident: 1.<em>

Ichigo entered the _Urahara Shoten _with his usual tired frown, finding that his mind and body were close to shutting down. He needed to lay down, and soon or else he'd pass out.

"Ah! Kurosaki-kun! Welcome home!" Ichigo was greeted by his blond haired, bucket-hat wearing boss slash landlord. He was sitting in his usual position near the cash register, fanning himself and smiling wide from under his green and white stripped hat.

"Ah, afternoon Urahara-san." He called back politely, sighing as he walked by the aisles of candy and magazines.

Urahara looked up at the orange haired teen, his smiling fading as he noted the dark lines under the boy's eyes. "Oh dear, Kurosaki-kun, might you be a bit tired?" He inquired, tilting his head, much like a small child.

Ichigo frowned, nodding. "Yeah, I was going to ask if-"

"Some work will wake you right up!" The older man chirped, waving his fan and laughing cheerfully.

Ichigo scowled deeply, attempting for his glare to set that stupid fan on fire. Urahara was a good man, but when it came to work he had no mercy in his heart. "Money above all else," that was Urahara Kisuke's motto.

Ichigo, with as much energy as he could muster, walked passed the grinning shop-keeper and pulled out the keys to his apartment overhead. He stepped inside and dropped his bag onto the bed, where the alarm clock still lay upside down. He quickly changed into a casual pair of jeans and a plain white T, rubbing his face the whole time to help stay awake. Urahara insisted that his workers wear all casual, instead of formal attire, as to make the customer feel at home in the store. No one wanted to buy a magazine from a teen wearing his school uniform, the old man would say. Made them feel like they were dealing with a spoiled brat who was doing this work just because they were forced to and for the money.

_Speaking of spoiled brats..._ He thought as he left his apartment unlocked and went back downstairs to the shop.

Ichigo knew he had made an enemy with that Kuchiki girl. She wasn't use to such disrespect; made apparent from the near shocked expression she had given him when he scoffed at her shallow assumptions. Right now he realized that maybe he shouldn't have been so mean, for now he would have to deal with her attitude. She was seated next to him in class from now on, and he honestly didn't need the constant scathing look he figured she'd give him. He had enough issues to deal with, and he didn't need her on top of it all.

Once at the front of the shop, Ichigo found that it was only he and Urahara who occupied the building. He glanced around the store, searching for his co-worker. "Where's Chad?"

Urahara shrugged. "His band had a gig tonight, so I let him take the day off." He smiled at the young man, replying to Ichigo's hard scowl.

"_He_ can take a day off? Yet _I_ can't?" The orange haired teen seethed.

"Of course!" Urahara exclaimed, standing from his spot and smiling brightly. "Chad is an aspiring musician! He will need the time to practice, and even play his music so that the world may see his talent! Who am I to stop such a marvelous thing?"

Screw the fan. Ichigo was glaring so hard in hopes the man himself would burst into flames.

"So, as such, you will have to work extra today! The perfect way to stay in shape and be alert!" Urahara continued, the sound of his sandals hitting the wooden floor echoing off the walls as he walked towards the exit.

"Where the hell are you going?" He hissed.

Urahara turned, his fan tucked away in his coat pocket, his green eyes staring back at Ichigo's own amber ones. "I have to go meet with Tessai and pick up a new shipment. We're running low on supplies, and our dear handyman has offered to accompany me on my journey to pick up the shipment." He said, tilting his hat in a form of farewell. "I will be gone for who-knows-how-long, so keep the shop in shape!" He then pointed to the counter, where a clipboard with a sheet of paper clipped to it sat. "I've left a list of things you can do while I'm away. And remember that if you steal anything: _I know where you live_!"

Ichigo watched with a frown as Urahara laughed, waved then left, leaving him completely alone in this candy shop. He sighed roughly, pulling at his hair. The action made him wobble, as his head began to spin and his muscles sagged. He groaned, straightening and walking over to the counter to grab the clipboard.

Scanning over its contents, he again groaned and went to work.

–

An hour and a half later Ichigo was ready to drop. After lifting boxes onto shelves, pulling boxes off of shelves, restocking the candy and replacing sold magazines with the stuff from the boxes and dealing with the random number of customers that came every few minutes he felt like if he were to trip and fall he'd be out before he even lurched forward.

The sun was setting under the horizon outside, and Ichigo could feel himself wanting to join the sun in its nightly slumber. Sitting with his head held in his hand at the counter he felt his eyelids rising and falling with each passing second. No one was in the shop at the moment, and he figured no one else would come. Most of their customers were the students looking for a quick snack after school, and the few street walkers who were curious what this strange building was.

The students were all home. The street walkers were in for the night. And Ichigo was alone in this darkening store exhausted and hungry. He decided to use Urahara's microwave to warm up some ramen to sedate the growling in his stomach.

After a very long two minutes Ichigo was sitting on the stool behind the cash register slurping on his instant ramen. Wasn't a true feast, but he had no other options.

It was eerily quiet in the shop. It made a cold shiver run down his spine as he realized this fact. He looked around the assorted candies, absentmindedly reading their names and prices as he sat in silence; the only sound in the whole building being his slurping.

This was good, he thought. No stimulation to arouse the Thing. Nothing to make his emotions run so out of check that he Changed. He needed more moments like this, as much as he may hate them. Moments full of lonely silence that entail nothing but personal turmoils. Nothing that could trigger the transformation.

The silence was evil, though. Ichigo had found long ago that silence could be one of the most cruel tortures in the world. It was evil, for it spoke the truth. In silence he was faced with himself, and the Thing that loomed over his head, under his skin, in his blood, and inside of his own soul. He was haunted by It, especially in the silence when he could hear his own screams. Silence was evil, but a necessary evil. He would sacrifice his mind, his sanity, to save his body and others.

_Because if I don't stop myself, who will?_

Ichigo was pulled out of his reverie as the door-chime rang and a new customer came waltzing into the shop.

"Welcome to the _Urahara Shoten_." Ichigo plastered a pleasant, yet fake smile on his face. Part of him was glad for someone to bring him company, but the other part was pissed he had to bring himself together to help this person with whatever purchases they made. He wanted to go to sleep so badly, but he still had an hour before his shift was over. Plus he had to wait for that bastard Urahara- whom he was going to kill for making him work alone in this hellhole he called a business.

"Hello!" It was a young girl, around Ichigo's age, maybe older. She was lean, lightly tanned with long purple hair tied behind her head with a red ribbon. She was dressed in a girls school uniform, but with a light brown colored vest over the white shirt and a maroon tie. He didn't recognize the pattern of her uniform, and couldn't place what school she must go to. She was looking at the shop, interested in the candies and walls, as if she'd never seen such a place before.

"May I help you with anything?" He asked, foregoing sugaring his tone like most cashiers did. It was annoying for both customer and seller, and he was in no mood to attempt such a stupid thing.

She finally looked at him with wide, amber eyes that nearly matched his own. When they locked gazes they both froze, almost stunned by an invisible force. Her eyes widened, and Ichigo felt his heart quicken for some odd reason he couldn't explain. Seeing this girl made the hairs along his arms stand on end, and brought his tired mind out of its dreary haze.

After a few more seconds of that evil silence, she spoke. "Oh, I'm just brushing by. No need to worry yourself over little ol' me!" She said, her tone bubbly. She smiled at Ichigo, her white teeth shining in the light. She was really pretty, he noticed, and he couldn't help but stare as she beamed at him.

"Uh..." He stammered, unsure of what to say.

She then moved into the closest isle and scanned the contents of the shelves that lined the shop. He wasn't sure what it was he had felt when their eyes met, and he was sure she had felt it too from the way she stared back with a near shocked expression. He calmed his racing heart with a few extra breaths, watching her with a pensive stare as she moved about; her hair bobbing as she hopped from foot to foot, like a small child waiting for their parent to hurry up and buy that toy they've had their eye on ever since entering the store.

It was kind of cute...

Ichigo frowned, watching the girl move about, her hands knitted behind her back as she hummed some tune. She was odd, yet something about her made him interested. He couldn't quite place it, but something about her movements made him want to stand and move towards her. With what intent, he wasn't totally sure. He analyzed his feelings and found no answer to this strange question.

"So...alone?" She said, sparking a conversation as she gazed over the magazine rack.

"Um...yeah," He said lamely, pushing his bowl of ramen aside as he suddenly wasn't very hungry.

She finally looked up at him, her eyes bright as she smiled again. "Does your family own this store?" She asked.

Ichigo shook his head. "No, just a part time job."

She gave up looking over the candy and walked towards him. "And you're just alone at this job?" She queried.

"No, just today I'm manning the place while the boss is out." He shrugged. "Plus I live right upstairs, so I can be trusted."

Her whole face lit up at his words. "Really? You live upstairs?" She looked up at the ceiling, as if she could see through it into his apartment. "That's so cool!" She gushed.

Ichigo leaned onto the counter, placing his head in his hand as he shook his head. "Eh, you'd think. But it's a crappy little place. Barely enough room for a dresser and bed." He wasn't sure why he was telling this stranger this stuff. Something about her just made him feel...comfortable.

She tilted her head, looking back at him as if quizzically. "Then why not move into a better place?"

He rose a brow. "I don't have the money." He said simply, confused by her naive question.

She pursed her lips and started thinking over something in her mind. "Well...why not save for a better place?"

"Um..." He blinked. "I don't know..." He didn't want to divulge into how this was the perfect place for him to stay. Close to the woods, far from the heart of the city, and as secluded as he could possibly get without living in the woods like some lumber jack.

_Note to self: Look into buying a cabin._

"It'd be fun!" She slammed her palms against the counter, startling him. "You could do odd jobs around town! Mowing grass, delivering letters, walking people's dogs! And I could help!" Stars shone in her eyes. "It'd be just like a movie! Like a montage where the main characters work their way towards their goal!"

Ichigo was flabbergasted. "Yeah...um...that sounds-"

"It'd be so _cool!_ Right?" She looked at him, waiting for his agreement.

He shook his head. "Uh, yeah?"

"Awesome!" She pumped her fist and grinned with determination. "You and me, we're going to raise the money and-"

"Hold on!" Ichigo waved his hand in front of her face, stopping her tirade short. "That's nice of you and all, but I'm fine in my current apartment. I'm not really looking for a new place to live." He said, frowning lightly.

She pouted at him. "But you said the place upstairs was crappy!" She said, persistent.

He sighed. "It is, but I like it. Fits my...needs." He said, avoiding any more information.

The energy seemed to drain from her as she slumped and sighed dejectedly. "Alright, _fine._" She said, drawing out each syllable. "But when you decide to move on to bigger and better things, give me a call." She said, smiling at him again.

Ichigo returned the smile, despite himself. "I will," He said, playing her game.

She grinned, pleased with his answer. "My name is Senna. What's yours?" She said, pushing her hand out towards him.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. Nice to meet you, Senna." He took her hand in his and felt a jolt run down his spine. He gasped at the odd sensation, and looked down at their connected hands. She too was looking down at them, surprised. They locked eyes and for a moment Ichigo didn't know what to think.

Something weird was with this girl.

–

The next day Ichigo felt a lot more energized. After the weird moment with Senna passed, she had said she'd visit again and left. After that he had spent his remaining time contemplating the odd feeling she had left in him. Something about her was familiar, warm. Much like how his mother had been...

But the rapport between him and the strange girl was washed from his mind as his shift was over and he could leave. He had locked up the store, using the spare key Urahara had given him, and couldn't reach his apartment quick enough. Once inside he kicked off his shoes, threw off his shirt, and dropped onto his bed, not caring about eating or covering himself up under the sheets.

The next morning he woke early and had enough time to quickly complete his homework and shower peacefully. The hot water felt good on his skin, relaxing his abused bones and tender muscles. Under the faucet he had a moment of tranquility, a reprieve from the harsh reality of his situation. But, like all things good, it ended when his fingers were pruning and the water was becoming cold. He dried then dressed in his school uniform, cooking three pieces of toast in the toaster his sister Yuzu had given him as a going-away present. Buttering up the pieces he ate them while enjoying a brisk walk through the neighborhood. Urahara had left a note on the shop door for Ichigo to see, saying that he was sorry for staying out so late. Ichigo already knew he had gone drinking rather than getting supplies, but really held no contempt for the man. It was his nature, and he couldn't blame the man for living it up.

Walking towards school, a half hour early, Ichigo suddenly was invaded by the memory of Senna, the girl from last night. She was really weird, yet made him feel somewhat cheery. Like there was a chance for him out there. Her upbeat attitude was slightly infectious, and as he finished the last of his toast he couldn't help but feel chipper for a change.

The school came into sight, and he quickened his pace slightly. A large throng of students were piling into the courtyard, talking with friends and finishing their breakfast. No matter how chipper he felt, his anxiety of being around so many people still stuck. Coming up to the gates he found his heart racing at the many faces moving by. He tried to stay calm, not let his blood pressure rise any more than it already was. Too much stimulation, and he didn't know what would happen.

Pulling up along the curb was a familiar white limousine. Ichigo stopped and looked at it as it pulled to a stop not too far from the gates. He was standing across the street when he saw it, surprised to yet again see the car that had hit him the day before. He had almost forgotten about it in his daze, and now that he was looking at it, he couldn't help but feel the need to hurry up and get out of the way before the driver-

"Hey!"

_Shit..._

The old man from yesterday jumped from the driver's seat and raced towards Ichigo from across the street, waving his arms. "Hey! Kid! Are you alright?" He stopped in front of the orange haired teen, slightly out of breath from his excitement.

"Yeah, I'm fine ojii-san." Ichigo waved the old man off, trying to move passed him to the gates.

"Hold on a second!" The chauffeur placed his hand on Ichigo's shoulder, inspecting him up and down. "You were hit by a car moving at ten miles an hour! There's no way you're perfectly fine!"

Ichigo scowled. He felt fine now, he really did. A good night's sleep does wonders. "Why were you driving at _ten miles an hour_ in front of a school? You could have killed me!" He bellowed.

"I'm terribly sorry, young man. But Kuchiki-sama was running late and-"

"Hold on," Ichigo interrupted the man. "Did you just say, 'Kuchiki-sama'?"

As if on cue, the back door to the limousine opened and out came the raven haired Rukia in all of her glory. She looked up with a small frown, almost bordering a concerned look, until she spotted him and gave a full blown scowl. "What the hell is going on here?" She demanded to know.

Ichigo returned her sour look as the driver turned and bowed low to the young girl. "Kuchiki-sama, I am so sorry! But this is the young man I told you about from yesterday, the one who I accidentally hit in my haste to get you to school."

Rukia looked Ichigo over with her violet eyes, making a shiver run over his skin. "Hmpf," She huffed, crossing her arms. "He's not dead, all that matters." She said.

Ichigo growled low in his throat, feeling the anger he had glazed over yesterday return ten-fold. "I could sue you, ya know!" He yelled at her.

She just again scoffed at him, as if he was a lesser being. Which, to her, he was. "Go ahead and try, _berry-head_. My brother has all of the lawyers in Karakura under his finger. You try and get one of your peasant lawyers and they'll get crushed." She smirked at him.

"Now, please, children-" The driver tried to reason with the arguing teenagers. His words fell on deaf ears, though.

"You little _midget_!" Ichigo seethed, clenching his fists tightly in anger. "You think you can just come here and take over like that? You've got another thing coming you spoiled little bitch!"

Rukia's whole face turned beat red at his words. Her teeth gritted together and she walked up to him, standing as tall as she could in front of him with a heated glare-which he eagerly returned. "What did you call me?"

Ichigo sneered down at her, their height difference very apparent at this proximity. "What? Are you having hearing troubles alongside being vertically challenged? I called you a _midget_, and a _spoiled bitch._" He said through clenched teeth, standing tall over her.

She was so angry and stunned by his words that she just gaped and flopped her mouth open and closed like a fish. He could see the heat rising to her cheeks as her anger welled up inside that little body. She wasn't used to this kind of treatment, he figured, and part of him was glad he could show her that not _everybody_ would kneel before her and kiss her ass just because she has money.

After a few seconds of gaping and fist clenching, Ichigo noticed that time was ticking and that all of the other students were heading inside. He scowled, turning back to her and her scathing stare.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." He said and pushed her aside to go to class, smirking the whole way in pride of himself.

* * *

><p><strong>Well? Love? Hate? Scathe? Adore? Have an affair with? <strong>

**What was that last one?**

**The rapport with Ichigo and Senna was a funny thing to write, because I have made her so bubbly and cheery and it's just funny to write such an odd character. I hope y'all like what I have done with her, and what I've done with Rukia in this chapter. Remember, this story will have some IchiSenn, but is ultimately IchiRuki! So don't fret! IchiRuki shall prevail! Slowly...**

**Also, I'd like to address a review! _TheChroniclerX_: I apologize for the Rukia being too bitchy thing. Believe me that kinda was a mistake, but I went with it. She was so much more of a bitch in this chapter until I edited it. And don't worry, she gets better! And the whole 'wangsty' thing I appreciate. But, this chapter was REALLY wangsty huh? But I can say Ichigo isn't emo, just beaten by this thing. He's not so much depressed, as he is negatively contemplative over his situation. Hope this still works for ya!**

**And, at the cost of having a long ass Author's Note: I would like to say something to you, _TheChroniclerX_, about yer little rant there on yer profile regarding Twilight. It is with as much dignity I can bring forth to say...THANK YOU! **

**Love all y'all who reviewed! Me likey LONG reviews, because it make me happy! **

**REVIEW!**


	4. Days Since Incident: 3

**Hey guys! I'm back...what? No party celebrating my return? Aww...**

**Well, like I promised this chapter is coming out in place of the previous chapter that came out early. I'm thinking of having chapter four come out next week rather than two weeks due to the fact that this chapter and the next are kind of slow. Believe me, they're necessary, just slow. So sorry about that!**

**And also my apologies for some tendencies I've given Ichigo. I realize some are my own tendencies, but it ain't too bad! What's a guy to do huh?**

**ENJOY!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

* * *

><p><em>Days since incident: 3.<em>

The weekend came rather quickly for Ichigo, which to him was surprising because usually each day felt like an eternity. With his daily routine of monotony every minute felt like an hour, and every hour felt like a day. But for the remainder of this past week, time seemed to finally pick up the pace and move by much quicker.

He figured it was because of the excitement. After his confrontation with Rukia that day he had felt her seething hatred towards him turn more and more sour. He'd catch her sending him murderous glares in class, sense the intense anger she harbored for him within her lithe body. She had grown a posse, and had ultimately turned them against him as well. He'd see their sneers in the hallways, hear their snickering at him when they thought he couldn't.

They tried to get under his skin after class when they'd huddle around Rukia's desk and make little whispers about his hair or his scowl. But it wouldn't work, because Ichigo could care less what these people think of him. They could be writing his name on the walls calling him an ugly fool for all he cared.

But, the fact that he had something like this to think about was what made his week so quick. It was different from his boring routine of school, work, sleep. With this added to the mix there was a sense of _new_ in his life for once, and that alone made him content- in a morbid kind of way.

It was now Friday, and the school bell just rang. He stood, ignoring the silent stares of the forming group behind him. Some _accidentally_ bumped into him as they moved about to talk to their precious _Rukia-chan_. But, again, he ignored them and packed up his stuff and was out the door without a second glance.

Walking out of the building within the large mass of students, Ichigo couldn't help but be happy it was the weekend. Usually he didn't care much- every day is really the same, just on the weekend he could sleep long before work- but right now he felt somewhat at ease knowing the weekend was upon him.

He was free of those mongrels and their incessant jeering and for some reason he was looking forward to that extra sleep. After his last incident he hadn't been on a proper sleeping schedule the last few days, and that extra time seemed heavenly at this moment.

"Yo! Ichigo!" He turned at the sound of his name. Tatsuki came running towards him, waving her hand for him to see it was her calling out to him. Orihime was, as always, following along behind her, attached by the hip.

"Hey," Ichigo greeted, slightly annoyed at having to wait any longer for his relaxing weekend. He looked to the always shy Orihime and nodded his head, to which she replied in the same manner.

"Hey, what are you doing this weekend?" Tatsuki asked after straitening her uniform's bow. "We were wondering if you'd like to come over Orihime's and play the new _Tekken_ game she just got."

Ichigo frowned. "Ah...sorry, I have to work this weekend." He said, lacing his voice with disappointment. In truth he'd love to go, but he wanted to rest this weekend. Plus, he had to prepare for _next_ weekend...

Tatsuki's face fell into a deep frown. "You _always_ have to work! Can't you just ask for tomorrow off? Just this once?" She insisted.

"Please?" Orihime added, hopefully.

Ichigo sighed, shaking his head sadly. "I'm sorry, I can't. Urahara is a stickler when it comes to taking days off." He lied. Urahara didn't mind all that much, just as long as Ichigo worked overtime the next work day. But they didn't have to know that.

"Ah, you just don't want to feel guilty about not wanting to go." Tatsuki prodded his chest with her finger. He scowled at her, shaking his head.

"No, I'm being honest." She was trying to goad him into coming. But he wouldn't give in, at least not today. "Seriously."

Tatsuki and Orihime were frowning at him now, and he did feel guilty about rejecting them. But he really wanted to rest, and playing all of those violent video games may set him off. He was a competitive player, and could lose control the moment he lost a match. Now _that_ would be disastrous.

"Fine," Tatsuki relented. "But next time I won't be so-"

"Um..." Orihime cut in, raising her hand to point at something behind Ichigo. "Who's that?"

Tatsuki glanced up and was stunned into silence by the sight. Ichigo turned as well, and felt his face fall at the purple haired girl walking along the length of the gates. She was trotting back and forth on top of the ten foot high stone wall with her arms out, balancing herself as she took careful, yet tittering steps. She had a pleased smile on her face as a group of students and teachers buzzed around under her, all whispering to one another as they watched her insane antics.

"S-Senna?" Ichigo chocked at seeing the girl from the other day. Was she crazy? How did she even get up there?

"You know her?" Orihime asked, watching with interest as the girl turned and moved back along the gates, laughing as a teacher called for her to get down.

"Sort of," Ichigo said, watching with wide eyes. "She came into the shop the other day talking to me. What the hell does she think she's doing?"

Tatsuki looked back to Ichigo. "Well...since you know her: Get her down!"

Ichigo knitted his brows together. "How?" He asked in confusion. "I don't really _know_ her! I wouldn't know what to say to get her down!" He said, feeling his heart leap into his throat as she began to wobble back and forth.

"Holy..." Orihime whispered with shock as the girl cried out as she lost her balance.

"Shit!" Ichigo cursed, dropping his bag and sprinting forward towards the gates. He acted on total instinct, and wasn't fully aware of himself pushing through the pile of bodies to get to her until after he was standing directly below her with his arms out.

"Ah!" Senna dropped down, her foot slipping and her body tilting off over the edge. Ichigo braced himself as she came flying down to him, the gasps and shrieks of the students all around making his head throb. Her body fell into his arms, and he was shocked by how much force she brought with her.

They crashed to the ground, his body slamming hard into the dirt while Senna slammed into him. He groaned, closing his eyes as pain traveled through his lower back. _Why me?_ He couldn't help but ask.

"That was fun!" Senna cheered, still sitting on top of him. "Let's do it again!" She laughed, pumping her fists into the air.

"What the hell is your problem?" Ichigo yelled at her once he regained his composure. "You could have died!" He bellowed.

Senna looked down at him as if for the first time noticing him. "Oh! Strawberry-kun! Nice to see you again!" She smiled at him.

He just growled and pushed her off of him. "Don't call me that!" He hissed, standing and wiping himself off.

She stood alongside him, pouting cutely. "Why? It's your name, right?" She inquired.

Ichigo gritted his teeth. "No! It doesn't mean-! Ugh!" He wanted to pull out his hair. "What are you doing here anyway, Senna?"

She again smiled, linking her hands behind her back and kicking her feet in a rhythm. "Eh, I followed you here this morning and decided to wait for you to get out so we can hang out!" She said as if proud of herself.

Ichigo balked at her. "You _what?_"

"Kurosaki! That your girlfriend?" Ichigo turned to the group of students were watching the scene. They were all watching him and Senna with interest, all still mystified by her daring performance. He scowled at them.

"No-"

"What's going on here?" The group turned as Rukia came up to the scene, her little groupies fluttering about her like the little bees they were. She placed her hands on her hips, her school bag being carried by one of the guys. She glared at Ichigo, frowning as he stood next to Senna.

"None of your-"

"Hello!" Senna said cheerfully, waving. Ichigo growled with frustration. Why were people cutting him off so much lately?

"Who are you?" Rukia asked, raising a delicate brow.

Senna beamed at her, racing forward to extend out her hand. "My name is Senna! How about yours?" She asked, smiling from ear to ear.

Rukia looked down at the hand, frowning in contemplation as she lifted up her own. Senna took hold of Rukia's hand and began to shake excitedly.

"Geez..." Ichigo grumbled, rubbing the back of his head as he watched the group start to disperse. They had lost interest, and were now off to their selective locations for the weekend. Ichigo wished fervently that he was one of them, but Senna was done shaking Rukia's hand and was back in front of him with a childish smile on her face.

"So, are we going?" She asked him, bouncing from foot to foot.

"Why are you so full of energy?" Ichigo said with a frown. He didn't like the aura she brought with her, it almost made him just as excited as she for the most mundane. But he couldn't let such emotions take form, otherwise he'd grow fond of them and would never be happy unless he had them more often. And the more the emotions came...

_The higher the risk._

"That any way to treat your girlfriend, strawberry?" Rukia sneered at him, her own posse having diminished as the scene wore thin. She was standing just about alone now, her bag now draped over her shoulder. He spotted the limousine outside the gate waiting for her.

Just as he was about to retort that Senna was- by no means- his girlfriend, said girl perked up, poking him hard in the chest. "Yeah! Is that any way to treat me?"

Ichigo began to grind his teeth again.

"Oh! So _that's_ why you won't hang out with us ever!" Tatsuki and Orihime were now standing beside Rukia, the former pointing at him accusingly.

Ichigo felt little bugs crawl over his skin in frustration.

"Ah...good for you Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime said, supportive. She held onto his bag, waiting for the moment to hand it back to him.

Ichigo quickly snatched up his bag. He has had enough.

"Alright!" Ichigo growled, grabbing onto Senna's hand and dragging her away from the other girls. She yelped in surprise at this rough contact, but then moved to keep pace with him as she waved goodbye to the others, who watched with curious gazes as the two left the premises.

"Geez, if Ichigo had a girlfriend he should have just said so." Tatsuki remarked, sighing as she shook her head.

"Why would he keep it a secret?" Orihime asked, watching the two go with clenched fists.

"Probably because he's an idiot." Rukia said vehemently, turning and walking towards her limousine with a deep frown. Deeper than she would have wanted it to be.

–

Ichigo grumbled lowly to himself as he dragged Senna down the block away from the school. He didn't know where he was taking her, nor did he know why he was taking her anywhere, he just knew that he needed to get her away from the school. He was going to get it now for having been associated with this weird girl, and he didn't need the attention.

_There goes my weekend..._

"So, where are we going?" Senna chimed, following along with his long strides with ease.

Ichigo stopped and turned to her. "We aren't going anywhere." He said. "Why the hell are you following me around? We don't know each other!"

Senna tilted her head to the side in that childish manner again. "Well, I figured we hit it off pretty well at the shop, so I thought maybe we could be friends." She said, smiling the whole while.

Ichigo rose his brows at her, shocked. "We could be friends, I guess...but stalking me and making a spectacle of yourself isn't the best way of going about it!" He berated.

"But if I didn't do it you wouldn't have been as interested in me as you are now!" She giggled.

Ichigo's mouth opened then closed as he processed that. Technically, it was true. Had she come to him in a normal fashion he would have apologized and said he was too busy for friends. Having too many people around him was dangerous, and he didn't want to jeopardize the lives of anyone should he undergo one of his Changes.

"That was still a reckless thing you did back there." He said, his anger lifting. She had good intentions, just odd methods. He couldn't be mad at her for that.

Senna shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it worked didn't it? I have you here talking with me rather than you brushing me off like you did to those girls before." She said, grinning slyly at him.

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Wait...how did you hear all that? You were five feet away behind people!" He said, staring at her.

Senna winked. "I have my ways." She said, turning on her heel and raising her finger into the air. "Alright! Kurosaki Ichigo!" She cheered, gaining the attention of a few people on the street. "Let us embark on our journey!" She said and walked off, not giving Ichigo the time to protest.

Groaning, Ichigo gave in and followed after her, his shoulders sagging as he imagined his weekend seeping away between his fingers.

–

Later that night, Ichigo felt as if his body was going to shut down at any second.

After Senna had dragged him to just about every shop in Karakura, jabbering away about this and that, Ichigo had returned to the shop to work. Chad had been there today- thank god- so the work load wasn't too much for the orange haired teen. But Senna had kept him moving, and his fatigue had only been exacerbated when Urahara got him lifting boxes for nearly four hours straight.

So, yet again in his forever tormented life, he practically crawled through the door towards his bed. He kicked off his shoes and tossed his shirt over to the corner as he hefted himself up and plopped down hard onto his mattress, sighing in content as he felt the warmth of the blankets envelope him in their comforting embrace.

As he lay silently under his blankets, breathing evenly as the touches of sleep came close to his mind, he couldn't help but admire what he had done today. It had been so long since he had a pleasant evening with another soul, and today's adventure had actually been somewhat fun- even if Senna tended to seem somewhat off her rocker.

He had learned a bit about her. She was staying with her uncle somewhere in uptown Karakura for a few months, coming from Tokyo where she lived in an apartment near Tokyo Square. She had graduated high school last year and was on vacation from her first year in college- much to his surprise. He couldn't really picture the free spirited Senna sitting down doing homework diligently. The image clashed with itself.

She was a fun girl to be with, and Ichigo half hoped he could have another day like this- minus the incident at school.

Soon enough sleep was upon him. He faintly heard lowered voices from down below his apartment in the shop, but ignored it as his mind slipped.

After what felt like only five seconds of bliss, there was a knock at his door. He frowned, curling up under the sheets in an attempt to maintain sleep. It was most likely Urahara coming to bug him before he went home to his wife and kids, but Ichigo wasn't in the mood for the older man's idiocy.

The knocking grew louder and faster. He groaned, turning over to glare at the door as if it offended him personally. As the person behind the door wouldn't quit, he finally stood with a grunt and stomped towards the door.

"Dammit old man what in God's name do you-"

Ichigo was stunned into silence when he opened the door and found Rukia Kuchiki standing there on the other side rather than his boss slash land lord.

"Hey,"

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><p><strong>Ah, sorry y'all for the hasty ending. I had planned on a longer chapter with this one, but what I had planned didn't work out so I deleted it and left it as such! I had planned to put down Ichigo and Senna's whole adventure together, but it felt too...boring. Too cliché ya know? So I just implied that they had a good time. Sorry if that disappoints you!<strong>

**Again, my apologies for the slowness. Next chapter will be a bit more fun, trust me! And then chapter five will have some CHANGE-y action (Sort of. You'll see ;))**

**Oh, to reviewer _Thornspike__:_ Yes. The rated 'M' applies to what's going to happen between both IchiSenna and IchiRuki. But don't worry! Senna's part won't be as great as Rukia's! **

**Wait until you see what I've got in store for all of you...**

**REVIEW!**

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><p><em><strong>SHOUT OUT TO MY BUD: <span>Kuiinsama!<span> CHECK OUT HER STUFF! SHE ROCKS!**_


	5. Days Since Incident:  3

**I'm back! Alright, this chapter yet again is slowish compared to what is in store. I am so fruggin' sorry about that! But, I can promise you it's a lot more speedy than the last one. **

**I'm posting this a little earlier than I would have, solely because I'm going to a concert tomorrow! My first concert ever! Gonna see some awesome bands, like Red, 3 Doors Down, Hinder, Seether, Shinedown, and so one! Excited! And I figured that tomorrow (Or, well today seeing as it's four in the morning on Friday here) will be spent entirely on that and I know I won't be able to focus on this. So I'm getting it up now!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

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><p><em>Days since incident: 3<em>

Ichigo stood, stunned, staring at the young woman standing outside of his apartment. She had her arms crossed, a thin frown marring her pale features as she stared back, her eyes trailing over his exposed chest in slight surprise.

"R-Rukia?"

"Ichigo," She nodded her head after regaining her composure. "I've come to have a talk with you." She said tersely.

Ichigo furrowed his brows. "What? Why? What could you want from me?" He asked, confusion lacing his tone.

"May I come in?" She asked, not giving him the moment to answer and pushed past him to enter his small apartment. She gave a deep frown as she studied its contents, taking note to how cramped it felt in there compared to her bedroom back at her mansion.

"Well, come on in..." Ichigo grumbled, closing his door as he heard Urahara's whispered voice on the phone down the stairs in the shop. "How did you find out where I live?" He asked once he had turned to her.

She looked back at him, then shrugged. "I followed you." She said.

Ichigo's mouth unhinged slightly. "What?" He gaped at her. "You _stalked_ me here?" He asked, aghast.

Rukia paid no heed to his appalled tone. "How else would I find you?" She said, frowning in confusion. She honestly didn't get why he seemed so freaked out by such a thing. She had done this a hundred times to other people. Though, those people weren't in Karakura...

He stepped forward, moving in front of her to cross his arms over his broad chest. "Why did you stalk me, midget?" He scowled at her.

Rukia glared at him, ignoring his comment and huffing. "I've come to talk to you about this game you're playing with me."

He rose a brow. "Game? What game?" He said.

She smirked lightly at him, staring him right in the eye. "This little game we've been playing. You thought you were clever that first day, making me so damn pissed. I thought you were an asshole; a stupid strawberry-headed retard who didn't know his place in the system. And, after much debate over how to deal with you, I finally figured you out."

"Figured me out?" Ichigo echoed, narrowing his eyes in annoyance.

She just nodded, her smirk widening. "You had me at first, made me believe you were an ass. But, your little game was discovered when you pushed it that second day by my limo. If you had left it before that, you would have truly duped me. But I got you, and even then I decided, 'why not?'" She shrugged for dramatic affect.

Ichigo growled lowly. "Get to the damn point, will ya?"

Rukia frowned at him again, shaking her head. "My point is, is that I caught you and your game of cat and mouse. And I decided to play along. I got a group of students to hate you, spread rumors about you behind your back, and you only retaliated with glares and frowns. I thought you'd come for me soon enough, but after today...I'm confused."

Ichigo stared at her, still not understanding. "Confused about what? You're not making any sense." He said.

Rukia sighed with exasperation. "Geez you really are an idiot..." She muttered under her breath. "I'm talking about you trying to get me interested by giving me the cold shoulder. Understand now?"

"Wait..." Ichigo said, realization hitting him. "You think..." He pointed at her, his eyes widening in mild surprise. He waited for her to shake her head and insult him for his foolishness, for her to bring out the other guys and have them attack. But no such thing came, and they stood in silence for a moment- him staring with shock and her frowning at him seriously.

The silence wore on, until...

"What's so funny?" Rukia bellowed as Ichigo held onto his stomach and stumbled back as laughter rocked his whole body. He turned from her, letting the sound flow from him as he leaned over.

"Ah...ah.." He chuckled, calming down. He shouldn't get so worked up, especially when he was so damn tired, but that was just funny. "You think I'm trying to _get your interest_?" He asked, drawing out the words to prove how ludicrous they were to him.

Rukia crossed her arms, glaring fiercely at him. "Of course!" She said, unaware of the tone he used. "Why wouldn't you? I'm rich, gorgeous, amazing, smart, strong-"

"I get it," He raised his hand, shaking his head as a smile still played at his mouth.

She again scoffed at him, impatient with his rude attitude. "Explain to me, Kurosaki Ichigo, what was that earlier?"

"What was what?"

"You know what I mean!" She snapped, clenching her fists and placing them at her sides. "That girl, what was it? Siena? Seni? Selin?" She fumbled with the name, frowning at the floor as she tried to remember.

"Senna." Ichigo offered.

"Whatever!" Rukia threw her arms up. "Her name could be Ana Lee for all I care! Just. What. Was. With. HER?" She ground out angrily.

Ichigo cocked a brow at her strange behavior, confused by the almost...jealous way she spoke. "Holy shit! Is Kuchiki Rukia, little Ms. Prissy Priss _jealous_ of a potential girlfriend of _mine_?" He teased, grinning at her reddening face.

"No!" She barked, making Ichigo imagine a little raven colored pup yipping at her master for food. "I am NOT jealous! But, I don't like the fact you are fucking around with me like this."

"Fucking with you like what?" He asked, losing his grin and scowling yet again. "I was never playing a game with you. I don't have any desire for your interest. When I said you were a spoiled little bitch I meant it. There was no hidden code that said 'date me!' and I can guarantee you that everything you've been thinking about me is all your own imagination."

She was silent for a minute, registering his words in that little machine known as her head. He thought for a second he had actually hurt her feelings from the way she just stared at him blankly, and a small pang of guilt began to form in his chest. He opened his mouth to say something, but her eyes brightened suddenly and she snapped her fingers in front of her face.

"Ah ha!" She exclaimed, grinning. "I've got you again, Kurosaki Ichigo!"

"What?" He felt the guilt wash away and be replaced with a dark sense of dread.

"You think you're so damn smart," She said, stepping closer to him. "But I'm smarter. All of that stuff you just said: Part of the game! And even that girl, Selin, is just your way of trying to get my interest. I bet she's not even your girlfriend, is she?" She prodded, feeling smug.

"It's Senna. And...well, no but..."

"Ha!" She moved closer more and poked him in his bare chest. "I got you! Thought you could trick me into thinking you weren't actually going for me so I'd let my guard down. You ignorant peasant! I've caught you again." She grinned, proud of herself for figuring all of this out in her head.

_Are all rich people stupid?_ He thought, shaking his head. "Alright, that's it! Get out!" He commanded, grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing her towards the door.

"But I do have to say," She ducked under him and walked back into his apartment. "Your determination has indeed impressed me. So, I will say now to save us the wasted time and energy: You have earned my interest." She turned to him, smiling prettily.

Ichigo groaned, running a hand through his hair. "That's nice and all, but I'm not lying when I say I _don't care._" He said. This was getting ridiculous, and he was getting extremely tired. He had to put an end to this now.

"Tsk, tsk," Rukia shook her head. "You don't have to do this anymore, Ichigo-kun. I have given you my approval already!" She said, sitting down onto his bed. She frowned, shifting around. "Wow, this bed sucks." She said, looking down at it and pushing with her hand to test its springs.

"It does not!" Ichigo retorted.

She waved her hand at him. "Don't worry, I'll get you a new one later." She said, standing again.

Ichigo, for the umpteenth time this week, wanted to pull his hair out. "I don't need a new one! But what I do need is sleep! So, could you please get the hell out?"

Rukia looked back at him, frowning. "Is that any way treat your _new_ girlfriend?" She said, smirking as the memory of earlier with Senna flashed before his eyes.

"Just get the hell out!"

She scrunched up her nose at him. "Fine, I will leave, for now. But give me a call and we'll set up a date." She said, smiling deviously as she brought out a piece of paper from her uniform's breast pocket. She handed it to him, letting him see a seven digit number perfectly scratched onto the little ripped piece of notebook paper. "Don't be a stranger," She said, winking at him.

"Uh..." He was at a loss for words as he stared at the number.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, preferably around eleven." She said and proceeded to walk around him towards the door. Just as she grabbed onto it, she turned and gave the room, and him, one last look over. "Shitty apartment, great body." She said before opening the door and leaving, closing it behind her.

Ichigo felt a blush rush across his face and neck at her words. He turned away from the sound of her footsteps going down the stairway and looked back down at the piece of paper in his hand. He scowled as he studied the numbers a few times over, wondering what the hell had just happened.

"You know what? Screw it..." He grumbled tossing it onto his desk and plopping back down onto his bed to go back to sleep.

–

The next morning, Saturday morning, Ichigo had thought the whole thing a dream. He had awaken in his bed, his sheets and blankets thrown to the floor, and had laid there mulling over the events. Surely it was a dream. What else could it be? Just an odd dream caused by his disturbed mind.

But, as he stood from his bed and walked by his desk towards the bathroom, he noticed the little slip of paper with her number scribbled across it.

Frowning, he picked it up and stared at it, trying to deduce if it was real or not. After a moment, he finally came to realize that it wasn't a dream. It had, in fact, been _real._

_Great, more shit to deal with._ He thought wearily.

After showering and dressing in a casual pair of jeans and brown shirt he sat for a while in his apartment, finishing his homework and eating a light breakfast while watching television. The whole while he mulled over Rukia's strange visit, and tried to comprehend where her reasoning came from.

She mustn't be use to people rejecting her, he figured. She was rich, and as such must get whatever she wants from everybody. She must have grown up having everyone love her, and now that he was actually rejecting her she felt threatened somehow. Maybe she was playing a game with him? Maybe she was trying to do exactly what she accused him of doing.

"Well, it won't work." He said aloud to himself as he finished his cereal and placed the bowl on his desk. He threw on his shoes and walked down to the shop, where he found Urahara already preparing for the day.

"Ah! Good morning Kurosaki-kun!" The old shop keeper greeted, smiling at Ichigo from under his usual bucket hat.

"Ah, morning." The orange haired teen said dully, closing the back door behind him to lock away the stairway to his apartment.

Urahara watched Ichigo walk towards the counter, pulling out the key to unlock the cash register and check its functioning. The older man sighed silently to himself, shaking his head at the sad way his God child moved about.

"Chad coming in today?" Ichigo asked, not looking at him.

Urahara brought out his fan, waving it to cool his face. It was considerably hotter today, and he could already feel it affecting him. "Of course! He couldn't survive a single day without you and your cheerful smile!" He said, his face regaining that bright grin.

Ichigo snorted. "It seemed like he lived the other day when he skipped out to go play with his band." He said sarcastically, not really meaning for it to sound so bitter.

Urahara waved his fan at Ichigo. "Oh! Sometimes it's good to have a day or two off! You guys are so young, yet all the two of you seem to do is work or school. Chad has his band, so I encourage his spirit!" He said with chipper.

"So you basically encourage us to miss days of work?" Ichigo inquired.

Urahara shrugged. "If you have a good reason, yes." He said nonchalantly.

He figured now was the best time to ask. "Then I need next weekend off, if that's cool with you?"

Urahara raised a brow at him. "Next weekend? Why do you need it off?" He asked, lowering his fan with a curious tilt of his head.

Ichigo sighed, scratching the back of his head nervously. "I'm uh...going on my camping trip..." He said lowly.

"Again?" Urahara questioned.

"Uh, yeah..." He said. Every month Ichigo would skip work and school for a maximum of two days to hike as far away from town as possible to Change. It was the only day he knew it was coming, the only day he could be sure of. And for that day he would go as far as he could go to keep everyone safe from himself.

"Are you going to bring a friend along?" Urahara asked him from his seat. "Or maybe your family?"

Ichigo, feeling the familiar guilt rise at such a question, shook his head sullenly. "No." He said simply.

Urahara sighed, putting away his fan and standing. "Well, alright. But! As per usual you must make up for the lost day on Monday!" He chirped, grinning from ear to ear as he walked to the front of the store.

"Where are you going now?" Ichigo asked with exasperation.

"Oh don't be so dreary! I'm just going to bathe in the sun for a while before the winter air really takes over. Attract some customers, you know what I mean?" He wiggled his brows at Ichigo, winking before closing the door behind him.

"What an idiot..."

–

As the day wore on Ichigo felt his mind numb itself from his problems. He liked to live in the moment, and decided that spending his whole day worrying about Rukia would ruin his weekend. He had left school the day before excited for the peace of Saturday and Sunday, and unfortunately had been side tracked by Senna's odd behavior and Rukia's demanding attitude. But right now he would enjoy himself, and deal with those issues on Monday.

He had opted to unload the boxes full of new shipments today rather than care for the register. He figured the manual labor would help his mind concentrate on other things. Plus he knew that Chad was not up to it himself after a night of practicing with his band. He had told Ichigo the day before he was preparing for another gig coming up in two weeks, and as such would be up the whole night practicing in the singer's garage.

_Must have been fun for the parents..._ Ichigo thought jokingly as he glanced the tall, muscular man standing behind the cash register. From beneath Chad's brown locks he could see the dark rings lining his eyes, and noticed the way he sluggishly carried himself.

Chad was most likely Ichigo's best friend, and really the only friend he even attempted to open up to even a little. He didn't know how Chad would react to his secret, and honestly figured it best to not tell him. But he told him everything else. Talked to him about his family, about school and whoever he got into a fight with. They traded stories, advice, and ideas. Ichigo honestly thought that without this friend he'd go insane.

Chad had been in the same class with Ichigo for years, but unfortunately this year the behemoth of a teenager had been transferred to another class to fit his more advanced needs. He was a smart guy, despite his quiet demeanor, and would easily make it into any college around. A lot like how Ichigo used to be...

"How ya holding up?" Ichigo said as he sat near the counter to open a box. He began to unload its contents, restocking the candies and magazines.

"Fine," Chad said simply. He was never much of a speaker, and at a time like this he probably wouldn't speak any more than usual.

"Must have been a long night for you to be so quiet." Ichigo quipped, grinning lightly at his friend, who just shrugged in return. That was really all he was going to get out of the tall brown skinned man. He was a solitary type, who was left to fend for himself in the reigns of a social society. He made due to the best of his ability, but still had his limit. And Ichigo respected that.

He wished sometimes he was like Chad. To be so comfortable being alone was a gift. In some ways, Yasutora 'Chad' Sado was the opposite of Kurosaki Ichigo. Chad was comfortable in the silence, but was forced into the noise of life by the invisible hands of peer pressure. Yet, Ichigo was comfortable in the noise, but was forced into the silence by _It._

_We are alike, yet so different..._

"Ichigo?" He was brought back to reality when Chad spoke up, staring at him with sleepy eyes. "What are you doing?"

Ichigo flustered lightly when he realized he was just standing there staring at the chocolates. "Ah, I'm debating whether to steal one or not." He quickly made up, glancing outside at Urahara for affect.

"He's still asleep." Chad offered.

"True," Ichigo replied, snatching a bar of chocolate and unwrapping it to take a bite. And when the guilt of having taken something from his God father began to settle in, he told himself that he deserved it for all of his troubles.

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><p><strong>Wow, who would have taken Ichigo has a kleptomaniac? (Secretly I did!)<strong>

**So, ya like? I had fun with Rukia's character in this one. I played with her a bit, moving her around like my little puppet to act like a spoiled child who couldn't get that shiny new toy. This chapter will be the beginning of her redemption, because in the next few chapters she gets less bitchy and more...curious. **

**I hope you guys like this one! Sorry for the epicly slowness...next chapter has some Change-y like action! Sort of a preview, I guess, in the next chapter! Update will be next week, then after that we shall switch by to the two week wait! Sorry y'all!**

**REVIEW!**


	6. Days Since Incident: 4

**Yo! How y'all doing today? Good? That's good...**

**SO! You've all been so patient with me. These last slow chapters have been hell, I bet! My apologies, seriously. But, this chapter will be the chapter where things actually start to pick up! And, as promised, a little Changing action!**

**Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

* * *

><p>That night Ichigo had a dream of his first Change. Though, <em>dream<em> is too soft a word for what he experienced in his sleep. It was a nightmare that played over and over again in his head like a broken record player. The film recycled itself as soon as it was over and forced him to relive that traumatic moment many times over.

It had been a month after the attack, and he had spent almost three weeks in the hospital. The first week he had been in a deep coma, the second he had recovered at an abnormally fast pace, and the third was spent evaluating his traumatized mind. He had passed the tests at then hospital easily, faking emotions and lying the whole while as they poked and prodded at his brain with long words he didn't understand and textbooks with different ways to make someone fess up. He was a smart young man, and had easily evaded their games and walked his way out of that hospital supposedly without having to worry about future psychological issues.

_Whatever issues arise, I will handle them alone._ He had told himself after taking that first test. He didn't want to burden his family with his nightmares and strange behavior. After waking up from his coma he had been assaulted with horrific night terrors involving running through the woods and murdering hundreds of animals. Sometimes he'd move into the city in these dreams and slaughter everyone with claws that extended from his fingers like hooks. He'd dream of drinking the blood of the innocent, of feasting on their flesh, of relishing the terror in their eyes. And that scared him beyond words. Beyond any comprehension that he could fathom.

His family had enough to worry about after his mother had been killed. With Masaki Kurosaki gone, everything fell apart. His father became sullen for months, whatever strange thoughts beating his usually hyper mood down. His sisters shifted from their carefree selves to independent workers. Yuzu filled the void of the cook, cleaner, and general house keeper, while Karin became a harsh realist without any sense of humor. They had enough to deal with without a psychopathic teen in their midst.

He had been home for over a week before _it_ happened.

Ichigo had only just gotten the bandages off. Standing in the bathroom staring at the three jagged scars across his shoulder, he could feel his skin crawl and an eerily sick sensation rise into his throat. His vision blurred, and he held his throbbing head in his hand as he leaned against the sink to balance himself. He had moaned, feeling an ache growing in his limbs. His head felt heavy, and for a moment he felt his heart stop.

Without warning, a sharp pain stabbed him in the side, forcing him to bend back and yell out. Ichigo grabbed the sink with both hands, gripping so hard his knuckles went white. He groaned, feeling a pain so unbearable spread throughout his body like a snake zipping through the leaves. His head swirled, and his knees buckled from beneath him, his body crashing down onto the bathroom floor with a loud _thud!_

"_Ichigo?_" He heard his father yell from down the hall- where his room was. Isshin began to bang on the door, calling out for his son, but Ichigo couldn't react, couldn't call out for help. Every knock on the door sounded like an explosion in his skull, his father's voice grating against his eardrums like nails on a chalkboard. He groaned, yelping as another wave of pain stacked itself onto his already suffering body.

"_What's going on?_" He could hear his sister Yuzu come barreling towards the door, worried. Her voice sounded as if coming through glass, so close yet so far away. Karin came along too, asking what was wrong. He wanted to run out there and plead for help, to cry and beg for them to make this pain go away. But something deep down told him that running towards them was a horrible idea, and that he should run _away_ before it was too late.

Ichigo at the time didn't know why his instincts told him this, nor did he understand why they were so prevalent in his mind, all he understood was that he desperately needed to get out.

And get out he did.

He crashed through the window, shattering it to bits and sending shards of glass everywhere as he flew through the air. He slammed hard onto the ground, yelling out as the glass stabbed into his arms and torso. Blood oozed from his wounds, the smell wafting into his nose and making his head swim. He groaned, his feet kicking about wildly as he tried to prop himself up and stand. He was pushed back down as a cracking sound rang out from within his own body. It sounded as if cracking eggs on a table.

The sound rang through his body, each _pop_ and _crack_ making him cry out. It felt as if his bones were taking turns breaking and his muscles were being ripped in half in a very messy line. He heaved, staring down at the glass below him as he shook, letting the pain travel.

He could hear the panicked squeals of his family behind him in the house, and that helped motivate him to get up and begin his hastened sprinting through the backyard into the neighborhood.

The pain was spreading like wildfire, latching onto every cell in his being and intensifying every time he tried to fight it. He screamed into the air, clenching his fists as he ran along the darkened streets of Karakura. He could taste blood, and felt as if every cell in his body was on fire. His legs were buckling under him, making him stumble rather than run towards God-knows-where.

Finally he couldn't run any longer, and tripped over his bare feet onto the hard ground. He screamed out again, feeling every muscle expand against his skin painfully. He cried, hot tears running down his cheeks as the pain enveloped him in a cocoon and promised no end.

He writhed on the cold ground for what felt like ever. He tried to stand, but the act was so tremendous that he only ended up falling again. Ichigo could feel his spinal cord pop, sounds so ghastly ringing in his ears as he shivered and groaned. He forced himself up, leaning against the wall to some building he couldn't recognize. Once he was standing he caught his reflection in the glass, staring in horror at the image of himself.

The picture of himself standing there, sweat coating his flustered and raw skin, staring with brilliant golden orbs burned itself into his brain forever. It was a horrific sight, and at the time when he saw it his mind hazed over and he couldn't remember much else. He remembers running again, screaming with a voice that soon turned beastly. He remembers somehow finding his way into the woods- by the instinct of It, or by luck?- and losing himself somewhere by an old oak tree while staring up into the face of the full moon.

The next morning Ichigo remembers waking up and crying because of the aches. He had tumbled his way back into town, completely naked, to be found by the police, who had been searching for him the night before. They took him back to the hospital where they classified the _incident _as a reaction to seeing the scars for the first time. Said it was some sort of post-traumatic response. But Ichigo knew better, knew it wasn't just in his mind. He ached for days, the horrible night replaying in his mind.

_This wasn't psychological_, he had concluded without a doubt.

–

_Days since incident: 4._

Saturday and Sunday both were uneventful- just as he wanted it. Ichigo worked most of Saturday, and slept late into the Sunday afternoon. He spent the day relaxing and studying for tests while his TV blared nonsense behind him, and did not once think about the drama with Rukia. _She would be dealt with on Monday,_ he told himself every time the memory of her bursting into his apartment crossed his mind.

But, as Sunday wore on and he fell victim to sleep- reluctantly, in fear of another nightmare such as last night's- Monday was upon him faster than he'd like.

He awoke that morning, showered, dressed in his school uniform, and ate a thing of toast before grabbing his school bag and running out the door. He had made sure to leave earlier so that he could take a stroll through town to calm his hot wired nerves. The weekend was his Change, and with every passing day he could feel it growing closer and closer; almost to a physical point. His nerves were shot at this, and he needed to keep calm until he could get out into the woods. The week before was when it was the hardest to control himself, and the last time he had Changed twice in a span of three days. So he needed moments like this, where he could breath in the fresh air and take a relaxing walk down-

"Ichigo!" He stopped and turned at the sound of his name, surprised by the sight of Senna running towards him from across the street.

"S-Senna?" He called out, shocked to see her. Where did she keep popping up from?

"Ha! I've been looking for you!" She said, walking up to him with her usual bright smile. "Went to the shop a few minutes ago to see if you wanted me to walk you to school. But you weren't at your apartment, so I went out looking for you and here you are!" She said, beaming.

Ichigo frowned. "How did you find me though? This isn't the way I usually take to school." He said, raising a brow.

Senna seemed put off by this, and lost her smile as she stared up at him with a contemplative pout. "Um...I don't know. I just went looking for you and here you are. I'm not familiar with Karakura and I just went walking in the direction of the school and caught you." She explained, as if retelling an ancient story from her childhood.

He shook his head. "Well, whatever. You found me." He said nonchalantly. "You can walk with me, if you want." He said, throwing his bag over his shoulder.

She regained her smile and hopped up once in joy. "Alright! Let's go!" She cheered, walking ahead with her hands behind her back.

Ichigo just shrugged off her excitement, walking alongside her with easy strides. She practically jogged most of the way, blabbing off about her life in Tokyo and the friends she had made while visiting Karakura. He half listened, withdrawn into silence. He didn't want to tell her too much of himself, in fear she may grow _too_ attached to him. As much as he'd love to have her as a friend he couldn't afford it. She was an exciting girl, with exciting stories and exciting tendencies, and all the excitement would one day get to him and race his pulse just enough to set him off. Senna would be a great friend, one he wanted so dearly, but he didn't want to risk her life for his selfish wants.

"Ichigo?" She had stopped a few feet behind him, frowning as he kept walking.

He turned to her, blinking in confusion. "Why'd you stop?" He asked her.

She stared at him, walking a few steps closer. "Something seems wrong. Are you alright?"

Ichigo was surprised by her concern. This must have been the first time he'd seen her anything other than bubbly and chipper. "I'm fine..." He lied, waving his hand to dismiss her worries.

Senna stared at him, as if trying to deduce if his words were a lie or not. He stared back, trying to mask his face with indifference. Her eyes shone with something he couldn't quite recognize, something mysterious and puzzling. He stared into her brown eyes, transfixed by her stare. She caught his gaze and for a moment he felt his heart race.

_What's wrong with me?_

Ichigo quickly turned his eyes away to stare at a lamppost, his face flustered and his heart hammering in his chest. He could hear Senna's intake of breath and felt her body heat come closer. He looked back to see her standing inches from him with a small smile.

"You can talk to me, ya know?" She said, wrapping herself around his side affectionately. Ichigo blushed at the contact, feeling his heart beat faster. She was messing with his head, and for some reason a part of him was wary of her actions. But he was desperate for company, and did not push her away when she hugged his arm.

He returned the smile, nodding his head. "Yeah, thanks." He said, and they went off towards the school.

Senna was a nice girl, and he liked having her around. She was fun, cheery, and had an infectious smile. For right now he'd allow this friend, because did he not deserve one? For all of his troubles, his plights, and sorrow did he not deserve _one_ friend in the world whom he could trust? Chad and all of them were more acquaintances than friends now, and he had no one else. So for once couldn't he try to connect with someone? Even if it was dangerous he'd work with all his might not to lose control around her. He'd stay human, and allow himself to be friends with this bright young woman, to an extent of course..

Because didn't he deserve it?

–

Senna had walked with Ichigo all the way to the school, even though it took them nearly an hour and a half to do so. She didn't seem to mind, he noticed as she continued her babbling about this and that as she hung off of his arm. This time he actually paid attention to her stories, immersing himself in the company she brought.

At the gates they waved and she said she'd come visit his house afterwords. He had just nodded and watched her off to do...whatever she did. He didn't know what she did all day, but he figured it'd most likely be running around looking for something exciting to do. He couldn't picture her just sitting and reading a book.

Once Senna was gone Ichigo made his way into the school building towards his class. He was early, and most of the students lined the halls as he carried his bag up the stairs to the second floor. Today he actually was in a good mood, and for once he didn't look into the faces of the other students and be jealous of their carefree life. He passed by others and barely noticed them as he walked with a straight posture and a healthy attitude, actually up for the long day of work.

"Someone seems happy." A voice said from behind him. He turned to find Rukia standing against the wall with her arms crossed, a scowl playing at her face.

Ichigo stopped and gave his own frown, remembering her intrusion on Friday. "So what?" He asked. "I can be content if I want to." He said defiantly.

"You can," She said, shrugging. "But this little thing right here is peeving me."

"What thing?"

Rukia pushed off the wall and walked up to him, that scowl still in place. "You didn't call." She said with distaste.

"What?" He said, confused. Then it hit him that she had left her number with him. "Oh, right..." He said, scratching his head.

"You were suppose to call yesterday, ass." She said, her eyes narrowing.

Ichigo snorted. "Isn't there suppose to be a three day rule or something?"

Rukia rose a brow at him. "That's for commoners. I am a Kuchiki. We don't play by those rules." She said icily, her words laced with a smug demeanor.

Ichigo locked his jaw into place as he felt all his cheeriness seep out of him. "Well _I_ do. We _commoners_ have a sense of nobility when it comes to these things. I'm not going to call you the second I wake up just to hear you call me a peasant. I'd be sadistic if I did."

Rukia pursed her lips. "I wouldn't _insult_ you the whole time, idiot." She said, making Ichigo mentally slap his forehead. "I'd show you a glimpse of what it's like to _really_ have a good time." She said haughtily.

"What do you mean?" He asked, glancing around as the other students moved on to their classes, leaving the two of them nearly alone in the hallway.

Rukia smirked at him, happy to have caught his undivided attention. "There's this party Wednesday night. I was going to skip school Thursday so I could spend the night, and I figured I'd bring you along to show you what it's like to have some fun." She said.

Ichigo instantly shook his head at the word 'party'. "No." He said quickly, tightening his fists in resolution.

"Oh? You're so quick to deny this invitation." She said, staring him directly in the eye. She could see him wavering at the idea of having fun, and she knew with just a bit more of a push he'd cave. "You scared of a little crowd? Like a scared little strawberry?" She teased, grinning.

Ichigo clenched his teeth in frustration. "I am not scared!" He retorted. "You know what? _Fine._ I'll go to this stupid party of yours, but this is NOT a date. Got it?" He seethed.

Rukia smiled in triumph. "Of course not. It's just the two of us spending time at a social gathering." She said and uncrossed her arms. "You can drive with me after school on Wednesday. I'll take you to my place and make sure you look decent for the place we're going."

Ichigo frowned. "I can dress myself."

"Sure you can," She said, patting his cheek and walking ahead to the classroom. "I'll see you Wednesday, strawberry." She said before entering the class just as the bell rang, leaving him alone in the hall- late again.

Ichigo sighed dejectedly, running his fingers through his hair. What had he just done? He had just agreed to go to a party like an idiot. He couldn't go to one of those things, in fear the excitement would set him off. So why had he agreed to going?

Because, the little voice in the back of his head chimed, doesn't he deserve it?

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><p><strong>Well! I hope you guys liked it! Though, a part of me is disappointed. I feel I've been...rushing a little with this story. Like I skip certain parts, and move super fast in some scenes. I am sorry about that, I'ma try to deal with this in the future!<strong>

**So...like? I did! Always fun to do a mini-transformation scene! Muahaha!**

**REVIEW!**

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><p><em><strong>Announcement:<strong>_** To those of you who are truly dedicated as my readers- both ones who only know me as ****_Insanity-Plus_ and to those who know my main account _Mikie-From-Ireland_- I would like to say that you all ought to keep an eye on my profiles. I've got something personal in the works (To which I mean NOT-Fanfic related)and if it goes over well enough I will be posting a link to that project! So, tomorrow, or a little later, you must come take a look! PEACE!**


	7. Days Since Incident: 6

**The two weeks are up! I'm glad to see y'all kept up with me on this. I;m getting terrified because after this I only have two chapters written! Noo! I need to hurry and write more to feel secure in my skin!**

**Was afraid I wouldn't be able to post this on time, to be honest. We had a huge storm yesterday and the power went out for a few hours. After it came back on we still didn't have internet OR cable. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE PAIN I SUFFERED WITHOUT FACEBOOK AND FANFICTION? I live though! And instead we watched Halloween 1 and 2 (The Rob Zombie ones, the GOOD ones) so I is happy. And we got our stuff back! Yaaaays!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

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><p><em>Days since incident: 6<em>

"Wow, you're actually going to this party?"

Ichigo and Senna were lounging in his apartment. She had come over after school like promised, and the two of them had spent the last hour talking and eating candies he had bought for them downstairs.

Ichigo nodded his head, though a bit reluctantly. "Of course," He said. After Senna's usual blabbering he had brought up what had happened earlier in school. She had taken to the topic, glad to actually be talking about _him_ for once. He was surprised by her interest, but nonetheless took advantage of her eagerly spoken advice. He had to admit she was smart, and had understood where he was coming from near instantly.

"But why would you go if this girl is such a bitch?" She asked from his bed. She was dangling her legs back and forth, chewing on a piece of pocky while he leaned back in his desk chair, a chunk of the chocolate he had taken the other day between his teeth.

He swallowed. "Because then I look like a wimp and a flake." He said, breaking off another piece of chocolate. "And I don't want to lose to that insufferable midget."

Senna frowned at the harsh tone he used against Rukia. "Maybe she isn't as bad as you may think her to be." She suggested, fiddling with another piece of pocky between her fingers.

He snorted. "I'm pretty sure she's just a bitch with a lot of money."

"How do you know? You don't know her personally."

Ichigo looked at Senna and frowned. "Why are you defending her?"

She shrugged. "I'm not. Just saying maybe you ought to get to know her better before making such judgments." She said, looking down at the pocky in her hand before taking a silent bite.

Ichigo sighed. "Well, guess that I can do at this party on Wednesday." He said, noticing her lack of eye contact- something he learned she did very easily. "You alright?" He asked.

Senna looked up at him, blinking in confusion before she shook her head. "I'm fine. Just thinking." She muttered.

"About?" He pressed.

She again shrugged. "Just how maybe I should go with you to this party." She said rather shyly.

Ichigo rose a brow. "You want to go to this thing?"

Senna sat straight up. "Uh, no! Just that maybe you ought to have some back up just in case something happens." She then grinned lightly at him, that familiar spark returning to her eye. "What if you get cornered? What if a hundred thugs come out and you are all alone to defend yourself? If I were there, I'd rest easy knowing I'd see you the next day." She pumped her fist, determination in her eyes.

Ichigo shook his head, chuckling lightly. "You're a strange character, you know that?" He said. "But don't worry. I'm sure I can take care of myself." He assured.

She gave another frown, looking at him with concern. "You sure? I could tag along just in case."

He waved his hand in front of his face, taking another bite. "It's fine." He said, chewing his chocolate.

Senna just sighed in return, almost in defeat. "Alright," She said, then winked at him playfully. "But don't come crying when you get raped." She giggled.

He smiled lightly. He was really enjoying this, more so than he thought he would. Could it be because he hadn't had real company in so long that he accepted this? Or was he genuinely comfortable with this girl he had only met just last week? "I'm sure I won't get raped."

"You never know!" She threw her hands up dramatically, babbling on about the possibilities of getting raped at a teenage party.

Ichigo listened, amused by her childish spirit.

–

The next day Ichigo arrived at school an hour early. Once Senna had left he had done his homework and went straight to bed, waking up early to shower and eat before making the long trek to his classes. Senna hadn't accompanied him this day, for reasons he didn't really know. And he was slightly disappointed by this. She was now his best friend, and he wanted to spend some more time with her. They actually had fun together, and fun was something he craved after the last two monotonous years of his life.

_Great, I'm becoming clingy._ He thought sourly as he parked himself in his seat. The room was relatively empty, save for a few other students making up for past homework assignments, and he had all the peace in the world to let his mind wander around these kind of subjects. _Was_ he becoming clingy? In honesty he thought he wasn't for someone in his situation. He had a good, _real_ friend for the first time in two years and he was glad about it. If he had been anybody else he'd probably go nuts every time she disappeared, but he wasn't that psycho just yet.

Though, it was a curious mystery where she went all day. She was on vacation, staying with her uncle somewhere in Karakura, without any other people to connect with- at least, he _thought_ she didn't. So what did she do? Did she watch TV and wait for him to get out? Did she go around looking at exotic items in random shops she so happened to pass by? He had wondered this before, and had concluded she may go around bugging people on the street with her odd stories of people in her old study group back in Tokyo and car crashes she'd seen outside her apartment in the middle of the night. And it was possible she did such a thing, but damn it if he wasn't curious to know.

"Kurosaki-kun?" Ichigo was brought out of his reverie as Orihime came strolling into the classroom with her bag strapped over her shoulder. She was looking at him quizzically, as if trying to decipher some ancient mystery that was hidden in his facial expression.

"Oh, hey Inoue." He greeted dully, raising his hand in a brief wave.

"Are you alright? I said hello like...four times." She said, her brows knitted together as she moved and sat in the seat in front of him.

He shrugged. "Yeah, was just deep in thought." He said honestly.

Orihime pursed her lips, handling her bag in her lap as she stared at him with her usual bafflement. She wasn't a dumb girl, not by far. But despite her grades she had issues with trying to understand normal human behavior and mannerisms. Ichigo would notice the stares she would give him sometimes, as if she was trying to decode some message he was trying to give her through body language. It freaked him out half the time, but he just nodded his head at her weirdness and said nothing against her.

"Are you thinking about your date with Kuchiki-san?" She asked him suddenly, her mouth set in a thin line as she gauged his reaction.

She had his full attention now. "How'd you find out about that?" He asked, slightly flustered. "And it's not a _date_, just...an outing between two individuals..." He said sheepishly.

"That sounds like a date to me." Orihime objected.

Ichigo sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Fine, it's a date. But not like _that._" He shook his head. "I don't really _like_ her like that, just...I don't know." He didn't know how to put it. She challenged him, and he accepted it like an idiot. But he wouldn't back down, even if he was afraid a party could set him off.

But hell, why shouldn't he take the chance? He had been afraid to play video games in case _that_ set him off. He hadn't even tried to see what would happen should he actually do it. Most of the time his stress Changed him, so why not do something relaxing? Maybe that was why it was so hard to control it, because he let all of his stress pile up and up until it triggers _It_. So, maybe this party was what he needs to help combat the Change. Maybe this would help him learn to control _It _better.

"Then why are you going?" Orihime pressed, interested in his answer. She leaned forward, and he couldn't help but notice how her cleavage became apparent to him. He knew she wasn't doing it on purpose, but it still caught his attention. Suddenly his heart kicked up, and he felt his body react to such a sight.

All logical thought left his mind and he was zoned in on her cleavage. His breath hitched and he felt his skin prickle with heat. Goose bumps ran over his skin, his shoulders tensing up as images began to assault him.

"Ano, Kurosaki-kun?" She was confused by his vacant stare. He felt something inside of him stir and he stood quickly.

"Ah...got to use the bathroom." Ichigo said quickly before marching out of the classroom down the hall.

He pushed through the growing crowd of students and slammed the door behind him once he was inside of the boys bathroom. He groaned, pressing his back against the door as he felt his blood pulse. What was wrong with him? He had _never_ looked at Orihime that way before, _ever._ So why did he do that just now, and feel such a strong reaction to it? He felt as if every molecule of blood was rushing downstairs, making his pants tight and making unwanted images in his head. Images of her naked, under him...breathing hard...her breasts bouncing with every-

"Shit..." Ichigo cursed as he splashed his face with water from the sink. His skin was flustered in embarrassment, and the cool water felt good against the heat of his face. He sighed, gripping the edges of the sink as he stared deep into his own eyes in the mirror.

The week before _It _happened, his senses were heightened. His sense of smell was phenomenal- more so than usual. His sight was sharp, his hearing range far, his sense of touch enhanced and his..._desires_ much more apparent.

_Stay calm..._ He told himself as he felt his logic returning. The blood was coming back to the rest of his body, and the white-knuckled grip he had on the sink loosened. He sighed, concentrating on his breathing to help slow his racing pulse.

He needed to relax, needed to maintain his decency. Ichigo wasn't a pervert; never had been, and would _not_ let this..._thing_ turn him into one. He would remain pure- as pure as one such as he could be- and not let It drag him down into the depths of depravity. Orihime was a person, with a mother and father who loved and _respected _her. Such thoughts about her only disgraced his humanity. He wasn't like those other horny mutts that built up the teenage population. He could _control_ himself, could _maintain_ dignity despite these hormones.

Taking a long, deep breath Ichigo strode out of the bathroom and back into the hallway. He was fine, he was _fine_. He sung the mantra in his head as he walked back towards his classroom, ignoring the rather interesting way the females moved their hips with every step. He pushed through the crowd and entered his class to find that Orihime was now ensnared in a conversation with Tatsuki.

_Good,_ he thought as he walked towards his desk. With her gone he could focus on other things.

As he shakily made his way back into the classroom, a voice called out to him. "Morning, sunshine." Ichigo turned to the ever smug looking Rukia sitting in the seat next to his.

He wanted to groan. "Morning," He said grumpily, sitting back into his seat with a grunt.

Rukia looked at him, her gaze analyzing as she took in his tired posture. "You look out of it. Nervous about tomorrow?" She asked him, tease lacing her tone.

He shook his head slowly, still reeling from what had just happened- _whatever it was_. "No, just didn't sleep well last night." He, for the millionth time in his life, lied.

She hummed. "Well, rest easy tonight my dear strawberry. For tomorrow we're gonna have some fun." She winked at him just as he was about to retort to the strawberry comment, making him blush as suddenly he was assaulted by images of her naked...

_Fuck my life..._

–

The rest of Tuesday and all of Wednesday moved along in the same pace: Slow. He spent his hours trying to focus on his school work, on the _Urahara Shoten_, and his studies, but it was hard when his body was sabotaging him and reminding him that he was actually excited for the party that night.

Ever since he had come to the realization that maybe his stress was the trigger rather than excitement he had been looking forward to the party Rukia was bringing him to. All day he had glanced the girl next to him in class, noticing her quick stares and impatient frowns when she looked to the clock. He could _smell_ her excitement as well, and for some reason that pumped him up further.

The previous night he had talked with Senna about it, discussing that this party may be what could help him out of his funk. And after avoiding questions as to what this 'funk' was, he was glad to find Senna agreed. Something in her tone though made him wonder what was going through her head. She sounded as if resigned rather than happy for him. That was strange, but it barely registered in his mind as he anticipated the end of the school day that Wednesday.

The bell rang, and both Ichigo and Rukia were up and out of their seats by the end of the ring. He wasn't sure what was suppose to happen, so he just followed after the short girl as she made her way towards her limo, the familiar driver standing by the gates waiting for her.

"So...what are we doing?" Ichigo dared to say, trying to keep a light tone of indifference while concealing the bubbling excitement in his chest.

Rukia looked back at him, smirking as she walked. "You can ride with me. We'll stop by your place if you need to pick up anything, then we'll go to mine to get ready." She said.

He nodded. "Alright," He didn't say much else after that. He was ushered into the limousine and waited as the chauffeur ignited the engine and took them off towards his apartment. He had to admire the inside of the car, for he had never been in one before. He had only seen the insides of one in movies, and they usually over-sold the whole thing. What was inside wasn't a hot tub full of half naked women drinking champagne, or the length of a ballroom. It was big, yes, but not exasperatingly so.

They sat in the back seat. He glanced the other rows of seats running parallel to one another, and tried to count how many people could actually be seated in this car. He was around six when Rukia spoke up.

"Brimming with glee yet?" She asked, chuckling in the seat next to him. He felt slightly uncomfortable with her so close, but he said nothing.

"Oh, just _dripping_ with glee." He said sarcastically.

She giggled at his quip, throwing one leg over the other to show a bit more of her cream colored legs- intentionally or not, he didn't know. He traced their length, feeling his pulse quicken at the sight. She had nice legs, and he was tempted to run his fingers over them.

"Well, after we're ready you'll definitely be overflowing." She then winked at him, much the same way she had the day before. And yet again he was reminded of his growing attraction to the female population.

Ichigo just snorted in response, leaning back into the comfortable leather seat.

They arrived at the _Urahara Shoten_ and Ichigo was urged to hurry up and grab whatever he needed. He raced out, running to the back door and unlocking it with his keys so that he may run up the stairs and into his apartment. He had told Urahara he would be taking the day off, and that he'd be out probably most of the night. Urahara had the grace to leave him alone about it, not questioning where he may be going or why. Ichigo was thankful for that in a way, but again he was disappointed. He had actually felt the need to tell his God father he was going to a party, because it'd make the older man proud. But no questions were asked, so as such no answers were given.

He quickly changed into a loose fitting button down gray T with the collar folded around his neck and a pair of pale khakis with a matching belt. It was chilly outside, but he was confident he could handle the cold in just this. He grabbed whatever spare money he could muster and brushed his teeth as quickly as possible before running back down the stairs and back into the limo.

"Hm," Rukia remarked, looking him over as the car started up and drove down the road. "A bit casual, but fitting." She smirked at him, as if approving.

"I do my best to _appease_ you." He snorted, buckling himself in and running his fingers through his spiky hair.

"Well you do a good job." She appraised, and he couldn't help but blush. She was actually complementing him?

_Are all rich people stupid, _and_ bi-polar?_

The drive was short, and Ichigo recognized the part of town they entered immediately. They were heading towards the home-district, the less suburban part of Karakura where the houses of the families reside. His own house...his _family's_ house wasn't too far away from here.

They rode down a long, narrow street towards what looked like a black steeled gate that halted all movement forward. He couldn't see far ahead in the back of the limousine, but he could make out the side of an impressively sized mansion bordered by beautiful gardens and lush green grass. As they drew nearer he could see more of the mansion, and was awe stricken by its size.

The gates squealed open upon their arrival and allowed them inside. Rukia was unimpressed by such a sight, unlike Ichigo who could do nothing but stare. She was raised in homes like this, and probably wouldn't ever be impressed by much because she has seen so much in her rich life. He, on the other hand, had grown up on the middle-class line. Cheap clothing and used toys were what he was raised on, and he hadn't really thought much of it. But now that he was faced with the mansion, gardens running far along the front around the back, and an ivory painted door that was opened by a mousy looking maid once the sleek white limousine arrived he couldn't help but feel amazed.

"Cool, huh?" Rukia teased, having seen his expression.

Ichigo quickly wiped the look off his face and turned back to the raven haired girl next to him. "Yeah, I guess..." He said, trying to sound nonchalant. As if he wasn't impressed- _which he was._

"C'mon, we're heading inside." She said, unbuckling and moving past him out the door, not waiting for the old man to open it for her.

Ichigo quickly followed, stepping out and letting the chauffeur close the car door behind him. They traded respectful nods and he walked up the steps to the front door behind Rukia. The maid hung her head low, her dark bangs covering her face as they passed. She glanced up at him, smiling politely. Ichigo returned the smile lightly, entering the house.

The inside was extravagant, with ebony wooden stairs and slips of rugs thrown along the path towards the steps made up of brilliant floral designs. To his left was what looked to be an entrance into a dining room, while on his right was a closed door he could not determine, though he had a feeling it may be the living room. The stairway ran up into two separate wings running off to the left and right. He didn't know what possibly could be in either of those wings, only that they must have a reason for them.

"You can wait here, if you want. I'm going to go get ready." She said to him before ascending the stairway, leaving him alone in the foyer. He frowned, not knowing what to do with himself. He began to fidget, unsure of all of this all of a sudden. The only party he had ever gone to was a birthday party for his old friend Ishida Uryuu. He had been turning fourteen, and that was a big deal because he had been published with his first book. So the party was more congratulatory rather than a birthday bash, and the worst part had only been the karaoke.

Ichigo didn't know what kind of party this was. He hadn't heard of anyone's birthday coming up- though that was to be expected with his recluse attitude- nor had he heard of anyone throwing one. And if someone was throwing this party: Why on a Wednesday? Wouldn't a Friday be smarter? Or even a Saturday? Though, had it been on either day he wouldn't have been able to attend...

Standing in the mansion foyer, entranced in his own thoughts, Ichigo suddenly caught a strange smell in the air. He frowned, sniffing tentatively to try and find the source of the scent. He spun his head around, and deduced that the smell was...perfume? No, it was too masculine. Cologne. He sniffed at himself, was that him? He had sprayed a bit onto his arm pits just for affect but hadn't sprayed _that_ much...had he?

"Rukia?" He heard a voice call from his right. Ichigo turned just as the door opened to reveal a tall, well built man with long red hair tied in a spiky tail behind his head. They locked eyes, and for a second shock seeped through the gaze of the red haired man. His forehead and neck were lined with strange, tribal tattoos. He had on a yellow T under a black jacket that hung off his broad shoulders, a pair of loose fitting jeans on his legs. His brown eyes narrowed when he registered he wasn't staring at the petite girl who had run upstairs. "Who are you?" He asked menacingly.

Ichigo scowled, not happy with the tone the man was using. "I'm here with Rukia." He said simply, reluctant to give his name.

The man returned the scowl, the tattoos acting as his eyebrows and furrowing when the muscles in his forehead tensed. "Really? And where is she?" He inquired, his eyes darting around in search of her.

"I'm right here, Renji." Rukia was now at the top of the steps, her arms crossed and her attire now consistent of a pair of black jeans and a form fitting violet blouse that matched her eyes perfectly. Ichigo caught sight of her and felt his pulse race yet again, her slender form was hugged perfectly by the clothing, and it caught his attention how her plump breasts pressed against the shirt, the fabric tight enough to bring forth their full glory, how her ass looked so round and..._tight_ in those jeans. She walked down the steps, the scent of a single spray of perfume alighting the air around them. It drove him mad, and he clenched his fists to stay calm.

_This thing won't make me into a pervert..._ He chanted.

"Who is this kid?" The man- _Renji_ said, pointing at Ichigo as if disgusted by his very presence.

Rukia reached the bottom and smirked at her old friend, walking closer towards the frustrated Ichigo. "He's my date, as I've already told you." She said.

Renji's eyes snapped directly back to Ichigo, his lids narrowed and his pupils almost slits. Suppressed anger radiated off of him, and Ichigo instantly figured why by how strong a reaction he had to such a statement.

"_Him_? I thought you would be going on a date with someone more..." He fought to find the right words. "...presentable?" He said at last.

"What the fu-" Ichigo was growling, ready to stampede this arrogant asshole when Rukia raised her hand in front of his face to halt him.

"Be it as it may that he doesn't fit _your_ liking, he definitely fits _mine._" She said, making Ichigo fluster yet again.

_Why is she so attracted to me all of a sudden?_ He thought, frowning.

Renji scoffed, making Ichigo wonder what it was with rich people and the noise, and turned towards the door.

"Whatever. Are we going or what? Nightfall shall be upon us soon, and I want to get in early before the morons start shit." He said, crossing his arms over his chest and looking to Rukia, watching the orange haired teen in his peripherals.

"_He's_ coming along?" Ichigo complained loudly, smirking on the inside when Renji's jaw locked in place.

"Of course, he's my best friend." Rukia said, shrugging as if it meant nothing to her. "He won't bug us." She winked at him, moving on after Renji. "Let's get a move on." She said, opening the door and leading the trio back to the limousine.

Ichigo didn't say much else after that, just followed, buckled himself in, and traded glares with Renji the whole car ride.

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><p><strong>You like? I did. I was editing this chapter and was proud of my talent. -Toots horn- I ist amazing! Haha!<strong>

**Naw, I'm mediocre. I'm not stuck up...much. **

**I hope you guys liked this chapter, I did despite it's non-supernaturalness. Though there was that moment with Orihime. To let you guys in on the point, it's because the week before the transformation everything is heightened and such. And, just so you guys know before you decide to leave, there's a reason behind why Ichigo has mad bitches on his tail. I'll explain later...**

**SHOUT OUT! Remember my most awesome best friend _Kuiinsama_? Well! She has proven to be the most awesomesauce person ever yet again! She has made a video on Youtube dedicated to this very story nyah! It's so amazing! Go to my profile (Or hers, which I recommend) and take a look at the video! And while yer at it subscribe to her and check out her stories, she's truly a talented person! Love ya Kuiin!**

**See you in two weeks...**

**REVIEW!**


	8. Days Since Incident: 8

**Hey guys! Woo, two weeks gone by like a blink of an eye huh? At least for me haha!**

**Let me start off by saying I apologize for this chapter. There was a bit of an issue with me and my dad a little earlier and I wasn't able to muster up the energy to edit this chapter afterwords. So I apologize for any grammar mistake or anything that seems out of place or just plain crappy. I hope you enjoy this chapter regardless, and review nonetheless!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

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><p><em>Days since incident: 8<em>

This wasn't what he was expecting. At all.

Ichigo had suspected some teenage party thrown exclusively for the rich kids somewhere uptown. He thought there would be some sort of code that was needed to get in that Rukia would have. He thought the night would be spent sipping from red plastic cups of punch that could have been spiked, dancing in a small crowd of other teenagers listening to the latest and greatest dance music.

He had been correct on the music part, at least.

The drive had been long, taking them off downtown a few blocks away from the _Urahara Shoten. _Renji and Rukia traded small pieces of conversation every so while, Ichigo listening with his contemplative frown. Rukia would ask his opinion on a topic, and he'd give a snide remark to piss her off even more, making Renji laugh.

They pulled up along the side of the street, the old man driving calling out that they had arrived. His voice was that of a tired old man wary of the area, and Ichigo took notice to this instantly. He jumped out and opened the door for the three seventeen year old teenagers. As soon as they left the limousine, Ichigo felt a sense of dread rise high into his throat.

They were in a part of town he had only seen a few times while driving by in the back seat of his father's car. He recognized it from the times his mother had said she never wanted to find him around this place. The memory stung him when he looked to the building Rukia and Renji were walking towards.

It had a wide variety of lights flashing out the windows, music blaring out after the lights so loud that it hurt his sensitive ears. The street was littered with people of all ages, all fluttering about with groups of friends who reeked of cigarettes and sweat. He felt his heart rate rise again, so many people, so much stimulation all around him...

_This was a bad idea..._

"Hey! You comin'?" Renji called out to him from the entrance of the club. That's what it was: a _club_. Not a party.

"Ah..." Ichigo toyed with the idea of just running for it. He had been excited for this all week, but now that he was faced with such a place he wasn't sure if it was a _safe_ idea to go inside.

"Go on," The chauffeur placed his hand comfortingly on Ichigo's shoulder. "Enjoy youth," He said, reminding Ichigo of his God father.

He nodded and jogged up to his two companions as they were permitted inside. Ichigo looked to the bouncer- a large man with thinning hair and dark sunglasses. He glared at the orange haired teen, and Ichigo quickly rushed to Rukia's side.

"How did we get in? I thought you had to be twenty-one to get into one of these places." He asked over the loud booming of the music.

Rukia laughed softly. "My brother owns this place." She said, surprising Ichigo. "We aren't allowed to drink, but we can still dance." She said, grinning at him.

Renji snorted from beside her. "You guys can't drink, but I can." He said, smirking as he scoped the crowd.

The whole place was packed with people, all scandalously dressed and dancing with others as if it were a sport they aimed to win at. The smell of alcohol was strong in the air, as well as the pungent odor of perfume and cologne terribly masking the smell of arousal and sweat. He scrunched up his nose and turned away from the flashing lights overheard, trying to focus on the conversation rather than the explicit music.

He saw Rukia shaking her head when he looked back to them. "The only reason you can drink is because you flirt some _cougar_ into buying you one." She accused, narrowing her eyes at the taller man beside her.

Renji shrugged, a light grin on his face. "Hey, the method has nothing to do if the means are noble." He said, chuckling, the sound below the wavelength of the music.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, noble." She said lightly, just above the music. She then turned to Ichigo, smiling from ear to ear in anticipation. "You ready to have fun?"

Ichigo felt a bead of sweat run down the back of his neck. Was it the near unbearable heat in here, or was it his anxiety? He didn't know. All he knew was was that his pulse was racing at the sight of such excitement. The people were grinding against one another, moving their bodies to the rhythm of the music. Lust-filled eyes locked onto the pair of another, conveying what they wanted with their movements. Was he ready?

A little voice in the back of his head said to be warned...

But then his teenage hormones were running rampant and saying _yes._

"Hell yeah," Ichigo said, cracking a smile as Rukia led him through the crowd towards the bar. Renji watched them go with a wary gaze, not moving until the pack of bodies veiled them from his view.

The two teens pushed their way to the bar counter where the tender stood, running a wet cloth over the smooth surface of a glass in that stereotypical way a bar tender from the movies would. It humored Ichigo slightly at the thought.

"Hey, Izuru!" Rukia called out to the man behind the counter. He was a thin, wiry man with long blond hair covering his left eye. He looked up with gloomy blue eyes and gave a slight quirk of his lips at the sight of the raven haired girl.

"Kuchiki-chan! Welcome back!" He said, his voice light and without aggression. It irked Ichigo at how submissive this man sounded, especially since he was in charge of handing out the alcohol. "It's only been...what? Four days? Five?" He joked.

"Hey, I love the music, I love the lights, and I love the people." She quipped, smiling at the man, working her charm.

Ichigo watched as the man didn't even blink at her flirty tone. His eyes darted to the orange haired teen, sizing him up before looking back to Rukia. "Well, hope nothing happens tonight to discourage you of such a passion. Drink? Or _drinks?_" He asked, putting emphasis on the last _s_ sound.

"Water is fine," She answered, then glanced to Ichigo for confirmation. He nodded, and she raised two digits to Izuru.

"Simple enough." He said, again glancing at Ichigo before pouring two glasses of clean smelling water with two ice cubes each. He handed them their drinks and waved them off as he was called from across the bar.

Rukia took a sip, leaning against the counter as she scoped out the dance floor. Ichigo mirrored her movement, but didn't scope out anything. His eyes stayed locked onto her frame, catching the already forming bead of sweat on the nape of her neck. He quickly averted his gaze, growling low under his breath at his own interest in such a thing. He needed to remain in control, he need to remain _calm._

"You ever come to a place like this before?" She asked him, her violet eyes trailing over the rough lines of his face. He looked tense, she noted.

He shook his head. "Never," He said. "Not that kind of person." He clarified, downing his drink in one gulp.

She shook her head, a slight smile lighting her features. "Well, get ready because now you're with me and you'll get addicted to the lifestyle." She grinned at him, drinking her glass of water empty and placing it on the counter before taking his hand and leading him away from the bar towards the dance floor.

The crowd of bodies were bustling to the music, a mass of gyrating hips and swinging arms. Ichigo pushed through them, following after Rukia into the heart of it all. He felt his heart race at being pushed against, at hearing the music boom over heard alongside the flashing lights that gave him a headache. He breathed in, focusing on the lithe form of his companion as she turned and smiled at him prettily, moving with the music like everyone else.

The song changed to some new hit pop song, and Ichigo found himself mirroring Rukia's movements with his own, slightly clumsy ones. She giggled at his awkwardness, and moved towards him to move her hands down his arms, sending goosebumps over his skin. He shivered, breathing in as he felt himself relax and move more freely with the beat of the song.

The crowd bristled at the new song, and Ichigo could _feel_ the shift of the atmosphere. The people moved along to the song, all slaves to the bass. He looked all around him, women against men, men against women, and even some men against men and women against women. His eyes darted around, the lights flashing into different colors to match the song, low beat rising and falling as the intro played, flowing smoothly into the chorus. He fixed his gaze back onto Rukia, who only had eyes for him as she came closer and moved her hips, the lights reflecting off of her pale skin.

Ichigo danced his heart out, his eyes now locked onto the violet orbs in front of him. She was grinning, enjoying herself as he placed his hands on her hips and they moved as one. The world seemed to focus point blank on this girl, and he was enticed by her dance. Her firm ass swung back and forth, teasing him as her hips gyrated, much like the other girls around them. But the way she danced was different somehow, for it had a certain flare to it-_confidence._

He growled low in his throat, the people around him disappearing from his world as he swung his body about in rhythm of hers. She threw her arms up over her head, their eyes still locked, and he caught a good glance at the slight cleavage that showed unintentionally, or intentionally, he didn't know nor did he care as his lecherous eyes traced the perky lumps under her blouse. He felt his heart race, the blood flowing through his veins rapidly as he felt every inch of his body heat up in excitement.

The world suddenly came into sharp focus, the people returning and intensifying in detail. His sight increased, narrowing in on the small beads of sweat dripping down Rukia's slender neck, the slight haze forming between her eyelids as she too became a slave to the music. She stared into his eyes, her brows knitting slightly as he started to feel the skin around his eyelids begin to burn. He frowned, lifting his hand to feel at the burning area. He stared in shock as his visioned increased yet again, the skin of his hand coming into complete focus as every line in his palm became more apparent.

_Oh god..._ His eyes widened as he realized what was happening.

"Are you alright?" Rukia called out to him over the sound of the music. He could barely hear her in the heart of the crowd, but understood her solely because he read her lips.

_Control...control..._ Ichigo nodded to her, evening his breath out to try and calm himself. She wouldn't be able to see it correctly with all of these lights flashing, but he could tell she was suspecting something wrong with the way his body tensed and how he wore a worried expression as opposed to his earlier smug look from when they danced.

She watched him, her eyes bright in the flashing lights. He stared into them, saw her observation of him. She was studying him, trying to determine if something was wrong or not. He tried to plaster a new smile on his face, but it was faked, and came too short of a real smile as worry etched itself into his eyes...his _glowing eyes._

_This isn't good!_

They were in the middle of the second song, and Ichigo knew he had to stop or else it'd be too late. He motioned to Rukia that they should go back to the bar, and she agreed without question as she took his hand and led him through the crowd, his shoulders brushing against other people as they jerked and twisted about like wild monkey in heat. Which, he speculated absentmindedly, they technically were.

They stood by the bar, Rukia calling Izuru over to order more drinks and make light chatter while Ichigo placed his hands onto the counter and sucked in breath after breath to calm his fiery nerves. He could feel his skin crawling, little bugs burrowing their way through the muscles of his arms and torso. He leaned against the counter, closing his eyes and trying to stave away the glowing gold in his eyes. He needed control, he needed to stay in control...

"Here," Rukia's voice brought him out of his reverie by handing him a glass full of a pinkish liquid. He didn't bother to wonder what the drink was, he just took it and downed half of the glass in a split second, then sighed as he felt more at ease with himself.

"That's better..." He mumbled to himself under the music.

"A 'thank you' would have been nice!" Rukia huffed, taking a sip from her own drink.

Ichigo scowled in her direction. "_Thank you,_ happy?"

She shrugged. "Not enough conviction, but we'll worry about that later." She said, then turned to place her elbows on the counter top, scoping the crowd yet again. "I'm surprised by what a good dancer you are."

He smirked, easing himself off the counter to face her, his brow now coated in sweat from the strain of pushing _It_ back. "Dancing is all instinct, and that's something I have plenty of." He quipped.

She chuckled, turning to face him. "Guess so," She said, then looked beyond at something behind him. "Hm...wonder where Renji went..."

Ichigo turned his head, looking about the crowd for the mop of red hair that was Renji Abarai. "Don't know," He sniffed at the air, figuring maybe the man was off seducing some woman into buying him a drink. It took him a moment, having to sift through the tirade of smells in the air, but he caught the man's scent, tracing it towards the exit. "Maybe he's outside?" He offered.

Rukia considered this. "Possibly. Want to go ruin his fun?" She grinned widely at him, like a child who was offered candy in a store. Ichigo returned the smile, nodding. He'd do anything to get back outside for a breath of fresh air.

The two of them pushed through the crowd towards the back exit. Ichigo could smell Renji out there, the odor of his excessive cologne leading them out the door and into the night air. As soon as they opened the door and left the bustling dancers behind he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply the fresh air, letting it calm his nerves as he felt less claustrophobic. He had successfully pushed It back. Another thing to chalk up to his growing list of good things happening this week.

Rukia's strangled gasp brought him out of his trance. His eyes snapped open and he caught sight of what she was staring at in horror.

Propped up against the wall of the opposite building in the alleyway was Renji, his lip cut and bleeding while his left eye gave a purple shine- bruised. The red haired man coughed, falling down the hall onto his knees as four men and a woman stood over him. The woman looked scared, while the three men looked absolutely pissed.

"Renji!" Rukia yelped at seeing her childhood friend laying on the ground, battered and beaten up. She looked up to the men, her teeth clenched and her eyes hard. "You bastards!" She yelled at them.

The men turned at the sound of her voice, all sneering at her, their breath blowing out through their yellow teeth. Ichigo could smell alcohol and drugs rolling off of their bodies, and scrunched his nose at the scent.

"Who the hell are you two?" The leader of the little group barked. His hair and eyebrows were bleached, piercings in his face and ears. He looked at Ichigo's hair, and narrowed his eyes. "You copying me, boy? This is my style!" He said, pointing to his hair.

Ichigo scowled at the man, about to retort when Rukia stepped up and spoke in his defense. "He doesn't even know you! How can he copy your style if he's never met you?" She asked, crossing her arms and glaring.

"This is my natural hair color," Ichigo said. "I didn't bleach anything."

"Bullshit!" The man yelled, pointing a finger at Ichigo accusingly. "You're copying me! You and your girlfriend-stealing friend are about to die!" He said, lifting his hand to show silver brass-knuckles.

"You have to use those to beat up people?" Rukia spat. "I bet you couldn't even handle me without that wussy-weapon."

"I don't hit women," He said, nodding his head at her for his two friends to lung forward and grab her. She yelled, kicking and punching at the men who restrained her. They pulled her away from Ichigo's side, the fourth guy coming and smacking the orange haired teen hard in the face when he called out and went to grab back his friend. "But my friends aren't as civil as myself."

Ichigo growled as he fell back and glared at the man who had hit him from the ground. He quickly stood, stepping back as he gained his balance. "You piece of crap," He clenched his fists, feeling the burning of his eyes returning. He blinked it away, fighting against the Change.

"Rukia!" Renji yelled, jumping to his feet to try and fight. But the man used his brass-knuckles to punch Renji hard in the chin, sending him tumbling back to the ground holding his cracked jaw.

"Baby, please!" The woman tried to reason with the leader of the group. "It was just some harmless flirting! I swear!"

"Shut up!" The man yelled at her. She winced, slinking back in fear of her own boyfriend. "'Harmless flirting' my ass! You two were all over each other!"

"Please..." She begged.

"You're a terrible person," Rukia said, struggling against the two men holding her. They had her arms pinned behind her and had her on her knees. She jerked her shoulders left and right, trying to free her arms, but the men had her securely in place. She groaned in frustration, pushing against them.

Ichigo kept his eyes on the man before him. He was smirking, his breath coated in booze. It stung his sensitive nose, made him want to gag. "I could kill you all right now..." He whispered, more to himself than them.

"What was that, carrot top?" The leader yelled at Ichigo.

"You're pissing me off," Ichigo said, feeling his skin crawl as he glanced Rukia's struggle. One of the two men got fed up with her fighting, and smacked her in the back of the head to stop it.

That's when Ichigo lost it.

"_Fuckers!_" He snarled, charging and slamming his fist into the fourth man's jaw, breaking it and sending him down to the ground, knocked out. Ichigo yelled out, lunging and sending his foot deep into the gut of the man who had hit Rukia. The other jumped and made to punch the teen, but Ichigo was too quick, and took the man's head in his hand and bashed it hard against the brick building. The man who had hit Rukia stood, holding his stomach and cursing at the teen as he cocked back his fist and sent it at Ichigo, who easily caught it and twisted his wrist, making him scream and fall to the ground.

"What the hell?" The leader watched with wide eyes as Ichigo turned and barred his teeth at him. He glanced at Rukia, who also stared, stunned by his extravagant actions. Ichigo felt something stir, his skin prickling as he felt heat engulf him. He turned back to the leader, growling like the animal he was and running forward.

"Oh no you don't!" Ichigo ducked under the brass-knuckled fist and swiftly jabbed the man's gut, rocking him backwards. The girl screamed in terror as his eyes began to glow a brilliant gold, his body convulsing as anger coursed through him.

"I'll _rrrrip_ your heart out!" Ichigo snarled. He took a step towards the now cowering man with yellow bleached hair, his hands clenching and releasing on instinct and his eyes shining in the darkness of the alleyway. Both the leader and his girlfriend backed up in fright, their eyes wide and unbelieving as they stared into the gaze of the beast within him.

"What the..." Renji caught a glimpse of the look in Ichigo's eyes, forcing himself up the wall to try and get a closer look.

"Ichigo!" Rukia called out in fear, but not of him, but for him.

By reflex he moved to turn at the call of his name, but as soon as he felt the muscles in his abdomen flex a sharp pain stabbed him in the side. He moaned, flinching and wrapping his arms around his mid-section as he doubled over from the pain. "What's..." His eyes widened when he caught bearings of himself. His eyes were burning, his knuckles throbbing and his skin heating up rapidly. He yelled out as another stab of pain coursed through him, his teeth clenching and his mind reeling at the realization of what was happening.

He was Changing.

It was too late to stop it.

"_No!_" He screamed, the pain intensifying. He fell to his knees, still holding his mid-section, groaning as he felt the pain seep through him, spreading out to every fiber of his being. The group all took this opening to turn and run away from the crazed teenager, leaving only Rukia, Renji, and Ichigo left in that alleyway.

"What's wrong?" Rukia stood and quickly ran to Ichigo's side, placing her hands on his shoulder and leaning down to grab his attention.

As soon as he felt her hands on him, he screamed and jerked himself away from her touch, slamming himself against the wall away from her. "Stay back!" He ordered, his throat becoming hoarse as another wave of pain slapped him.

"Ichigo, please, tell me what's happening?" Rukia pleaded, looking back at Renji for help. The red haired man shook his head, stunned in his confusion at the situation.

_Need...to go..._ His mind was telling him. He sucked in breath after breath, feeling as if nails were being driven into his skull from all angles. He shook his head, pressing against the wall for support as he felt his fingers bleed. He opened his eyes, watching in mute horror as the skin on the back of his hand stretched, little trails growing up over his fingers to the tips. Out came long, black jagged claws that came from spurts of blood that dripped down his forearms. He yelled out, hiding his hands from their view as he started to move forward.

"Need...woods..." He gasped out, screaming and nearly falling over as he felt his mouth numb over and his muscles rip. He could hear the popping of his own bones, like egg shells being cracked open in preparation for breakfast. It was loud in his ears, and he could only barely make out the panicked screams of Rukia beside him.

"Ichigo!" He finally looked up at her, their eyes locking for a full second. In that second, she could see the beast in him, could see the monster that lurked beneath his skin, waiting to be set free onto the world.

She barely had enough time to gasp before Ichigo turned and sprinted out of the alley, screaming as his bones snapped and his muscles ripped; all reforming into parodies of a human anatomy.

He could hear her calling after him again, but he ignored it as he ran out into the street, turning the corner and running with all the strength in his legs towards the area he believed the woods to be. He panted, the pain like a crutch to his usually strong body. He felt heavy, his shoulders weighing him down as he felt the muscles in his torso shift, pressing against his reddening skin sickeningly. He closed his eyes for a split-second, straining with all of his might to hold the Change back.

He knew he couldn't stop it, it was inevitable that he would transform this night, but he could at the very least hold it back long enough to run into the woods. He couldn't be out in public, where he may break into the home of some innocent family and slaughter them all, or run into some group of kids out on the streets. He needed the sanctity of the woods out behind the _Urahara Shoten_, or else people would die tonight.

"Con...trol..." Ichigo ground out as his gums expanded, spreading out his natural teeth to make way for long, sharp fangs that glinted in the light like silver knives. He yelled out, feeling his lips bleed from the tips of the fangs, the taste driving him crazy with primal hunger. He resisted the animal's lust for death and destruction, forcing himself further down the street.

A couple walked by, and Ichigo maneuvered as far from them as possible after they caught sight of him. The male called out to him, and Ichigo just responded with a yowl. He could smell the rhythm of their blood, see the pulsing veins in their neck as he passed them by. He panted, their scent strong in his nose. He felt his stomach churn in growing hunger, but ignored it and continued towards his home.

It wasn't long before the _Urahara Shoten_ came into sight. He wanted to give a cheer at seeing it, along with the trees behind it. He needed to break that line, and keep running until he couldn't run any longer. If he could just do that...

He and all of Karakura would be safe.

Ichigo screamed yet again, feeling his shirt tightening as the girth of his body expanded. His spine popped, stretching out, pulling his skin like rubber. He nearly tripped over his own two feet, the pain almost crippling him. He hadn't much time...

He stumbled to the side of the shop, pushing off the wall as he again screamed. He could see the pores of his skin opening, letting little dark hairs grow along his arms and hands. Blood dried along his elbows from the growth of the claws, and he could smell it so freshly. He coughed, his throat constricting as his vocals began to change.

"Ichigo?" His head snapped up as the back door to the shop creaked open and out came Senna, wide eyed and shocked as she spotted him. "What the-?" She stepped back as he flinched.

Why was she here? What was she doing in the shop? "G-get _**away**_!" He yelled, his voice strangled. It wasn't his own voice, but a mix of his and the beast's. More a growl than a plea.

Senna watched him, his eyes bright yellow and his body proportioned wrong. His chest and back were expanding, his ribcage pressing outwards painfully and his spine ripping through his shirt. The claws and fangs glistened in the light, shining menacingly. Her mouth gaped open as he pushed off the wall and made to run past her, but she quickly snatched his arm and pulled him to look at her.

"_**No!**_" Ichigo snarled, yanking himself away, falling down onto his back, writhing on the ground as the pain blinded him.

"I knew it!" Senna shouted, pointing at him.

"_**Fuck!**_" He ignored her and quickly pushed himself off the ground, running off into the woods, leaving her behind as he dug his claws into his shirt and ripped it off, letting it fall to the ground.

_It...hurts..._

He ran for as long as he could, his legs buckling under him a hundred times and his mind slipping between man and monster. He felt his pants rip away, and then his shoes burst. He continued to run though, despite the pain.

The last thing he remembered was slamming himself against a tree, howling into the night as agony beyond words finally dragged him down into a darkness that held no dreams for him.

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><p><strong>Damn! What a transformation scene huh? Haha! Well, I've got to say, there's more of where that came from! I didn't fully explained every detail of the transformation- leaving out the snout and most of the hair growth and such- but this was a great deal and I had so much fun writing it because I'm sadistic like that! If you want to see where I got the idea though for this transformation sequence check out both American and British <em>Being Human<em> werewolf transformations. I combined the two in my own blend!**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this, and can wait another two weeks for the next chapter! (After the next one, I'm probably going to stop the two week shit...mostly because next week is the last chapter I have in store before you guys have to wait for me to just plain write it up then post rather than place it in queue...)**

**REVIEW!**


	9. Days Since Incident:  0

**Okay well...guess what?**

**I've decided to kill this two week thing...for two reasons: 1! Because you guys complain about it so much and it kills me inside to upset my loyal munchkins! My poor munchkins...so deprived...have some cabbage!**

**Secondly, I really have been so stuck on writing more for this story. This is the last completed chapter I have in storage for you guys. I haven't been able to write this story as much NOT because I've lost interest, but because I've got my real book to worry about, my baby cousin who's living with us is having her 1st birthday this Saturday! (Happy birthday my little Angel!) and because...wait for it...I GOT A JOB!**

**Let's leave it at that shall we?**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

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><p><em>His mother had always been such a loving woman; always giving and never taking. She never cared for herself when it came to her family, for only when her family was happy was she happy. That smile that always lit up her face was something he aspired to maintain no matter what. For he loved his mother, so dearly, as did the rest of his family. His sisters were attached to her hips, his father never as joyful unless she laughed at his antics. And he could never survive without her loving embrace. <em>

"_Come on, Ichigo!" His mother called out to him as they trotted along the forest path. His father was somewhere further ahead, lugging along all the luggage to impress the Kurosaki mother. She giggled at his odd behavior, to which the fifteen year old rolled his eyes. They were like children sometimes, so in love despite their aging. It made him happy that he was lucky enough to have such parents, no matter how much of an idiot his father was. _

_They were hiking up a long slope through the woods, the sky darkening overhead. He sighed as the crisp smell of fall was upon them. It was a nice evening, and he was glad he had come along. _

_It was just the three of them, for the girls had stayed over at a friend's house. Yuzu was afraid of going camping, and Karin didn't want to be trapped alongside her father for longer than necessary. He had been the same, but his mother had convinced him with a light scolding that he ought to be nicer to his idiot father. _

She should talk to him about attacking me every time I walk through the door..._ He had thought, letting the smell of the woods fill his nose one more time before trudging up the small incline after his parents, who were lightly bickering over his father's insistence that he carry all the bags. He and his mother only carried their own personal belongings, while his father carried the food and water, the tent, the maps and equipment. His mother tried to reason with him, tell him his back would give under the weight, but the man was stubborn, and refused to accept his old age. _

"_Don't cry to me when we have to carry you home." His mother said, shaking her head. They continued on, his father boasting about himself incessantly and his mother only nodding with a slight smile gracing her features. _

_Everything about his mother had been beautiful, right down to her core. _

_The Kurosaki family could not live without her. _

_But, unfortunately..._

_That night..._

_The Kurosaki's would never get to see her beauty ever again._

–

_Days since incident: 0._

The world came in a weak contrast; blurred edges around moving shapes filling his vision as his own voice carried off in a groan. He felt a chill run over his skin, shivers racing down his aching body as he lay on something cold and uncomfortable and wet.

"Ugh..." Ichigo stared listlessly into the open space above him, his mind reeling as he tried to compose himself and figure out where on earth he was right now. He tried to move his fingers, testing out his motor functions as the digits twitched. He lifted his hand, the action feeling somber and tedious, and stared at the crust of dirt and mud caking under his fingernails. He frowned, another chill running over him as the wind began to pick up.

What time was it? What _day_ was it? His amber eyes darted around the sky, noting how the clouds hung around like vultures over a dying animal. He snorted, trying to force himself up to a sitting position.

"Here," Ichigo gave a start as something hit the ground next to his head, the sound reverberating inside of his skull. He hissed in a breath, turning and looking at the black duffel bag he always used for his _camping trips._

He looked up to the person who had thrown the bag at him. His vision was still obscured, so it took him a few extra seconds to register who it was that had just thrown the bag at him.

"S-Senna?" He choked, seeing the purple haired girl standing not too far away with her arms crossed. He forced himself with all of his might to stand and cover his dignity, his legs wobbling under the weight of his body. He nearly tumbled, but leaned against a tree to keep himself up.

"Woah, be careful." She said, stepping towards him with her arms out in case he fell. He stared at her in horror, his mind rushing with panicked thoughts. Why was she here? How did she find him? What was happening? He groaned, his head throbbing.

"Shit!" He cursed, holding his head in his hand. Everything hurt, terribly. He had stood too fast, and now the blood was rushing into his already abused skull. He almost wanted to cry from the pain.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" She asked him, her eyes soft and knowing. He looked up at her, and frowned deeply.

"What?" He rasped.

"You look like you're hurting." She said suddenly, moving closer. He flinched, holding up his hand for her to stop.

"Don't come closer," He said. "Just...stay away..."

Senna furrowed her brows. "What happened to you last night?" She asked.

"I'm trying to remember..." He said.

Ichigo's memory was still a haze. He remembered being at the club with Rukia, he remembered dancing...it was coming back to him...slowly... "Ugh!" He yelled out, slamming his fist into the bark of tree behind him. Why did this have to happen to him? Of all people?

"You don't remember, huh?" She sounded somber, as if disappointed. He glanced back up at her, watching as she shook her head and smiled sadly at him.

"What are you doing here?"

She pointed to the bag laying on the ground. "I brought that for you. Figured you'd need it." She shrugged. "I was able to scavenge the items that had been in your pockets last night. They were all over the ground by your ripped clothes. They're in there as well."

He stared at the bag for a second, and frowned again. "How did you find me...?" Ichigo asked, his mind still fuzzy. A headache was splitting his skull in two, making it hard to really concentrate on thinking.

Senna shrugged. "I followed your scent." She said.

His eyes widened. "What did you say?"

"I followed your scent," She repeated, taking a step closer to him. He stared at her, shocked and confused.

"How-?"

"I knew it the second I caught your smell." She suddenly stated, smiling at him lightly. "I knew that we were alike as soon as I walked into that store. I _knew_ it. Your scent was so wild...so feral. And when we touched hands..." She trailed off, and Ichigo was brought back to that bolt he had gotten when they shook hands that first night.

"W-what...what are you talking about, Senna?" His voice shook. "How did you find me here? How did you know I would need that bag? What is going on?"

"C'mon," She chuckled, shaking her head. "You can't tell me you didn't notice, that you couldn't smell it on me."

"Smell what?" He ground out. He was losing patience, his chest heaving as his breath became more erratic.

"You didn't know?" Her smiled was replaced by a frown, her eyebrows knitting together.

"No! I don't even know what you're talking about!" He shouted, groaning as his head throbbed even more now.

"Ichigo," Senna walked up to him, placing her hands on his shoulders. He flinched, but she kept a firm hold on him. "We're alike. We have the same condition. We're both werewolves!"

Ichigo stared at her in mute shock. "Were...wolves..." He echoed, his tongue sour. He clenched his fists as his eyes widened. "You're..."

"Yes," She insisted, gripping his shoulders tightly. "I'm a werewolf too, Kurosaki Ichigo. Just like you."

Ichigo felt a shudder run over his neck. "You're a werewolf..."

"Yes, Ichigo. Can you understand me?" She stared into his face, studying him. She inspected his face, trying to discover what was wrong. "Are you still messed up from the Change?"

"Get away from me." Ichigo said, grabbing her wrists and yanking them off of him.

"Ichigo?" She said, confused. She pulled back, her hands curling into little balls. "What's-"

"Stay away from me!" He yelled. He quickly turned and made a dash in the opposite direction of the purple haired woman.

"Wait!" Senna called after him, snatching up the bag and giving chase. "Come back! You don't have to be afraid!"

Ichigo didn't listen, and forced his sore body to wind around trees and jump over bushes. The air was chilly, his naked body being smacked unforgivably by the wind as he sped past, but he persevered and pumped his legs through the woods in an attempt to escape the other monster chasing him.

"Ichigo!" Senna was catching up quickly, her body more spry than his own abused one. She lunged and tackled him, throwing her weight against him and sending him forward onto the ground with a painful thud. He yelped, feeling his naked body being poked and scratched by sticks and rocks that dug into the dirt, slight jabs all along his torso sending pain through him. "Please, just listen to me!"

"Why should I?" He yelled. "I don't want to associate with anyone like you!"

"Just calm down!" She placed her knee down between his shoulders to keep him on the ground. He wiggled and squired, trying to break free and make another run for his apartment. He wanted to hide in the sanctity that was his home- or at least as close to home as he could get- and just shower and sleep under the warmth of his blankets for the rest of the year.

"Get off of me!" He wailed, fighting against her, but his limbs were practically useless now. Every ounce of strength he usually had was sapped out of him from the strenuousness of the night before. He felt so weak, so frail in this state that it made him want to scream.

"Please..." Senna begged of him. "We're the same...aren't you interested at all to know what I do of our condition?" She offered.

"No!" He growled, slamming his fist into the dirt. "I don't want to know shit! All I know is that this is a damn curse and I don't fucking want it! So unless you have a cure, which I highly doubt, _get the fuck off of me!_"

"I can help you control it!" She said, and instantly he stopped fighting.

"What was that?"

"I've been like this for most of my life, and I can help you control it better." She explained, loosening her grip on him. "Nights like last night won't happen ever again."

Ichigo pushed her off and quickly stood, glaring at her. "Why would you want to help me?" He questioned, suspicious.

She stared him down for a second, her lips moving into a thin line as she contemplated his question. "What I want isn't important. What is important is that you need help, and I can give it to you." She said.

"That's not a good answer." He growled. "No one helps someone they just met like this without a reason." He accused.

"Ichigo-"

"Answer the damn question!" He shouted.

Senna bit her lip and backed away a step. "It's been so long since I've found someone like me...we're a rare breed, Ichigo." The look in her eyes then was sad, desperate. He eased his tense muscles and let his eyes soften, knowing her pain. "I'm so lonely...and...I thought maybe we could help each other out..."

Ichigo frowned, running his muddy fingers through his damp hair. "You think by helping me I can ease your loneliness?" He looked at her, his hands dangling at his sides. "What makes you think I'm the guy for that? Just because we have the same problem, doesn't mean I can help you."

"You can," She said, looking back up at him. "You're just as lonely...I can tell." He winced slightly at her words, for they were true. "We both can help each other. I will teach you how to control this thing, and in doing so we both won't have to be alone any longer."

Ichigo considered her words. "That's it?" He asked.

She nodded. "That's it..."

He stared her down for a second. He knew he shouldn't do it, shouldn't get involved with someone like her. She was like him; a monster. How did he know this was her true intentions? How did he not know she planned to kill him, or worse, his family?

He took in her appearance, and frowned. She didn't look much like a monster, and really, neither did he. They weren't the monsters, he realized, but the things they turned into were. _Werewolves._ He couldn't count her as a monster solely because she became one during the full moon, because then he himself would be counted as one. And even though he relentlessly calls himself one he knows that when it came down to it that the true beast was the thing hiding under the skin, _not_ the one controlling the human body.

Ichigo had always imagined the one who had infected him as a disgusting, ravenous thing that didn't deserve to walk this earth. In his mind the beast had no right to exist, but at that moment he imagined it for once for what was on the other side of the coin. That monster wasn't always a monster, because it was only a beast whenever it lost control. The full moon was when he was attacked, and on that night there was no humanity, no logic or self-control. There was a person underneath all that fur and claws and teeth, so who was he to decide if Senna was a monster if really she was only one for a short time?

"What would I have to do?" He finally said after a moment's silence. Her face lit up at his words, her lips curling into a smile and her eyes shining in the light.

"In good time!" She said, that old chipper attitude he had grown to expect of her showing again. "First though, it'd mean so much to me if you got dressed. I'm getting a little uncomfortable." She giggled as Ichigo blushed and covered himself, having forgotten that he was standing completely naked in front of this girl.

She threw him the bag and he caught it and went behind a tree to dress.

–

Ichigo and Senna walked back to his apartment in relative silence. He was truly shocked to find that the usual flamboyant attitude Senna had was replaced by a somber, pensive one. She was actually withdrawn into herself rather than blurting out every thought that came to mind.

It slightly unnerved him.

When they reached his building he didn't offer for her to come up with him, and she didn't make such request. They parted, with the promise that Senna would come by again later. He watched her go until she was in the street, and then went up into his apartment to shower and rest.

His body felt as if on fire, aching at the joints and stiff in the muscles. He relished in a hot shower, his cold, bluing skin turning pinkish as the cold and dirt and mud washed away under the faucet. He sighed once he was out of the shower, standing naked in his apartment dripping wet for no reason other than to think.

Ichigo decided to skip school today, and instead opted to sleep in his bed for most of the day to let his body heal from the night before. A dreamless sleep was what he needed, and it was what he got before waking at around three in the afternoon.

He ate and watched television while he waited for work. At about four-thirty he heard Urahara opening the shop downstairs, and figured he'd go down and begin his shift early to make up for having missed work the day before.

After descending the stairs, each step bringing forth a small wince as his legs felt cramped, he walked out to the front where Urahara was opening and plugging in the register.

"Oh! Ichigo!" The old shop-keep blinked at the young teen when he appeared from behind him. "I didn't know you stayed home today." He said.

"Yeah, didn't feel well enough for school." Ichigo said, walking by Urahara and sitting down in the stool behind the counter.

Urahara watched him sit. "I can see you're a little sluggish. You too sick for work?" He asked sincerely.

"I'm fine," Ichigo replied, leaning against the counter. "I can work."

Urahara was silent for a moment, staring from under his bucket hat at his god-child. "You look like hell." He noted.

Ichigo snorted. "Glad I'm not trying to impress any girls." He quipped.

The older man gave a laugh, patting Ichigo on the back. He winced at the contact. "Don't worry my boy! Even when disheveled and pale-looking you probably could get any girl who walks through that door." He grinned widely, a playful glint in his eye.

"Sure," The young man said, dismissing his boss. "I'm going to work the register today." He said.

"Fine by me," Urahara shrugged, walking back to the front of the shop. "I believe young Sado-kun will be here shortly. He will take care of the heavy lifting."

"It's cold out. You can't sun-bathe today." Ichigo commented as he watched Urahara make to go out front.

"Oh my dear child!" Urahara sang. "I'm not going out there to sun-bathe. I have a quick errand to run. You will be fine alone for five minutes right?"

Ichigo grunted in response.

"Good!" Urahara clapped his hands. "I will be back." He said and closed the door behind him.

Ichigo shook his head at his god-father. _What a buffoon_ he found himself thinking for the hundredth time. He checked the register as per routine and sighed as he placed his head on the counter-top to relax.

A few minutes passed before the door opened to reveal Chad walking in wearing his black jacket and matching pants. "Hey," The ogre of a teen nodded in greeting.

"Yo," Ichigo returned the nod.

"You look like hell." Chad said, his brown eyes scanning the other teen from behind his locks.

"Thanks," Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Urahara is out right now. So it's just us for a bit."

Chad nodded and walked towards the back. He opened a closet and pulled out a broom to sweep. "Are you alright?" He asked once he had removed his jacket and was sweeping the floor around the counter.

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah...just tired." He lied. In truth it felt as if his skin was about to burst from the throbbing of his muscles. "Long night."

"You were out with a girl, right?" Chad said, glancing at him.

"How did you know?" Ichigo raised a brow in question.

"Urahara."

"How the hell did _he_ know?" Ichigo shook his head in wonder. "Is he spying on me or something?"

Chad shrugged. "I wouldn't doubt it."

"Me neither," Ichigo grunted in exasperation. _That damn old man is spreading my business around._ "Yes, I was out with a girl. And her friend...who is a guy." He added once he saw the way Chad was looking at him.

"So it wasn't a date?" Chad asked, curious.

"No," Ichigo said. "It wasn't. Just an outing." He sighed. "If it _had_ been a date I would have ruined it..."

"How so?" Chad pressed.

Ichigo looked off to the side, placing his head in his palm. "Got into a fight with some assholes." He thought of the events of the night before. They had come back to him as he and Senna walked back to his apartment. The look in Rukia's eyes when she had seen him...it sent a shiver over his skin.

"I'm sorry," The boulder of a person said for a lack of anything better.

"Not your fault." Ichigo waved him off. "Not meant to date I guess." He said sadly.

"Thought it wasn't a date." Chad quipped.

"Shut up." Ichigo growled tiredly.

Chad chuckled softly, something of a rarity for the teen. Ichigo smiled lightly to himself as he watched his friend sweep up the shop.

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><p><strong>Eh, not so happy with this chapter. Now I'm analyzing this story thanks to a hefty review from a very smart person who's left me trying to rethink everything about this story *_* There are MANY issues, such as Rukia's character and the confusingness of her and Ichigo's relationship and the such. I actually have been planning on that whole thing, but the fact I haven't implemented it yet is a bad thing and I apologize for my shitty writing. <strong>

**The next few chapters will be more plot-based and will move quicker along the story rather than just sit idly by. Again, I am sorry.**

**Before I go...SHOUT OUT TO KUIIN! (Again...lol!) She's been feeling down lately from what I can tell and to help make her feel better everyone who reviews say something kind about her! Or else... -Knife glints in moonlight-**

**REVIEW!**

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><p><strong>I suck with the long ass AN...but really quick I have revised _Werewolf Rehabilitation Camp_ on an epic scale and you should all go check that out. I'm so very proud of that story, and I'm just a tad bit sad it's only at like 30 reviews for four chapters. Go read and...REVIEW!**


	10. Days Since Incident:  1

**Well, seems I did good on my promise huh? Quick update in my opinion. Better than two weeks huh? Haha!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

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><p><em>Days since incident: 1<em>

Ichigo was hesitant to return to school on Friday. Though the aches in his joints had lessened, he was terrified of having to see Rukia again. The image of her terrified face was burned into his mind, and it was all he was able to think about ever since it had come back to him.

Senna hadn't showed up like he had expected that night. He wasn't sure how this whole ordeal was suppose to happen, or if he was totally sure he wanted to do this. When he had agreed to her help he was still slightly out of it from the Change. Now that he was more lucid he was second guessing his decision.

He was disappointed that Senna, the girl he was actually starting to make a connection with, was a..._werewolf_ like him. He was still trying to wrap his mind around that word- _werewolf_. For so long that word had stood outside the perimeter of his mind; not there within his thoughts yet still just close enough that he was aware of it. He had tried so hard to refrain from using that word to ever describe himself.

Because, really, werewolves couldn't be real...

But then what _was_ he if not a werewolf? What other thing transformed under the full moon, Changed into a creature that howled in the night and ran with a long snout sniffing around for prey. The creature he had seen the night he was attacked was a blur mostly in his mind, but when he labeled it as a child of the moon it made perfect sense.

Up until now what was happening to him almost seemed like a bad dream; a terrible occurrence that would last only a little longer until he woke up. But now that Senna was here and had revealed that she shared his affliction it felt like everything was coming out into the light. He felt as if it was all real now, like he had awoken from that bad dream to find an even worse reality waiting for him outside of it. This hit him like a ton of bricks, and it made him want to weep in sorrow.

After a long debate he decided to return to school. He was going to most likely miss Monday, so he figured he'd show up today to make up what he missed the last two days and inform the teacher of his upcoming absence. Ms. Ochi would understand when he said he was going on a camping trip with his father, for she never really cared and thankfully never questioned much further than "Why this weekend?" to which Ichigo would always reply "Because my dad's a weirdo."

Walking down the street with the school coming into view, Ichigo couldn't help but feel nervous. He hadn't seen or heard from Rukia since the incident, and wasn't sure what she would say to him if anything at all. She may be a stuck up bitch with no sense of curtsey, but he still didn't want her to be _afraid_ of him. Having _anyone_ be afraid of him would hit him hard, because it would only reinforce the fact that he was a monster.

He looked around for the white limousine, hoping it would be there so that he may be able to try and explain to her what had happened. He wasn't so sure what to say to her, and really there was nothing that could explain what she may or may have not seen that night. But at the very least he could tell her everything was fine and there was nothing for her to worry about...if she even cares, in which case he would be in the clear.

The limo was no where in sight. He was disappointed to not see it, but did not fret over it as he entered the grounds and scanned it for the young rich girl. Again there was nothing, so he moved inside and kept looking until he reached the classroom.

Stepping inside he saw most of the class was already seated, waiting for the bell to ring and for the teacher to arrive. Ichigo was actually kind of late today, though that was to be expected considering everyone must have thought he was sick. He moved towards his desk and saw Orihime smiling brightly at him as he neared.

"Ah, Kurosaki-kun! Welcome back!" She said as he sat down in front of her.

"Morning, Inoue." He said, glancing the empty desk next to him and frowning.

"Yo! Ichigo!" Tatsuki waved at him as she stood by his desk. "Where were you yesterday? We had a quiz and that totally sucked ass." She said, sitting down in Rukia's seat to smile at him laughingly.

Ichigo forced a light smile on his face as to not arouse suspicion. "Ah, Urahara asked I help more around the shop yesterday. Had a huge shipment coming in and had to spend the whole day moving around boxes and stuff." He lied, feeling a talent for it growing.

_Enough practice and you start to get good at something..._

"Wow, the old man actually made you skip school? So unlike him..." Tatsuki said, rubbing her chin. Ichigo scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward all of a sudden. It was odd to be talking to these two, as if nothing was wrong with him, when he knew damn well just about _everything_ was wrong with him.

"Oh! Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime beamed. "Guess who I saw at the bakery yesterday after school!"

"Who?" Ichigo asked dully, only half interested.

"Yuzu-chan!" She said.

Ichigo froze, looking at Orihime with full interest. "Really?" He asked, a slight pang of guilt in his voice. He hadn't seen his family in over two months now.

"Yeah," She nodded. "She asked about you. They're all very, very worried about you Kurosaki-kun. Why haven't you called them in so long?"

"How long has it been since you talked to your family Ichigo?" Tatsuki added.

Ichigo flushed in embarrassment and looked away. "It's been a while..." He said, rubbing the back of his head. "Work has kept me busy, so it's hard to find the time to sit down and have a conversation with them."

"You should make the time!" Tatsuki said accusingly. "You know, you've been acting really strange for a long time, and it's getting on my nerves now!" She said, pointing at him.

Ichigo scowled and stared out the window, fighting to not look at her. "Ah, I'm sorry." He said, for lack of anything better.

"Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime leaned in. "What is wrong with you?" She asked worriedly.

Ichigo looked at her, sighing sadly and fidgeting with his fingers. "There's nothing wrong." He said.

"Bull-"

"Sit down class!" Ms. Ochi came bustling into the room, waving about her notebook as she shooed away the students near her desk. "It's time to start the day with a healthy dosage of schooling!" She said cheerfully.

Tatsuki frowned, turning to Ichigo and giving him a stern look before walking off to her desk in the back. He turned forward, and could feel the stare coming from Orihime behind him.

"Is everyone present?" The teacher called out, scanning the classroom.

"Kuchiki-san is not here!" Keigo said, raising his hand.

"Ah, so she isn't." Ms. Ochi said, scribbling in her notebook. She looked up at Ichigo, and rose a brow. "I thought maybe Kurosaki-san and Kuchiki-san had gone off together on a romantic trip." She said, the whole class giggling as Ichigo blushed furiously.

"No!" He denied quickly.

"Alright, alright." The teacher laughed, moving on with the lesson for the day.

–

After school, Ichigo wasn't sure what to do about Rukia. She hadn't showed up at all throughout the day, and from what he gathered she hadn't showed up the day before as well. As much as he hated the idea of confrontation, he knew that just leaving it alone would just make everything worse.

So, once school was out and he was free for a little before work started he decided to suck it up and be a man for once.

The black steel gates stood over him a good two feet, locked and blocking him off from the large mansion beyond where he knew Rukia to be. He frowned in contemplation as he placed his hands on the bars of the gate, trying to figure a way inside that didn't involve trespassing. He turned his head and spotted a small intercom on the stub of stone to his left.

Leaning down to eye the device, Ichigo hesitantly pressed the small red button and waited for some sort of answer to his buzzing.

"_Yes?_" A voice called- female, unfamiliar. He frowned, digging around in his head for a good response.

"Um..." He said, the inwardly cursed his own cowardice. He took a resolute breath and steeled himself. "Is Rukia home?" He asked.

"_Who may this be?_"

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

There was a pause on the other line, no doubt the woman telling Rukia he was here. After a little bit the voice returned with a slight incline of voice. "_Kuchiki-san is very ill at the moment. Could you maybe come back another day?_"

Ichigo scowled in frustration. "I need to speak with her immediately. I won't be long, just let me in alright?" He said.

There was another pregnant pause, and Ichigo waited as patiently as he could for the voice to again speak. "_I'm sorry, but Kuchiki-san is very ill-_"

"Just let me in!" He barked, feeling his anger rise slightly. Immediately after his outburst he sucked in a breath and gripped one of the bars of the gate to help himself calm down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell." He said through clenched teeth. "Just..._please._ I need to talk to her."

He heard something- a shuffle?- then there was silence. Ichigo waited a few tense moments before he gave a sigh of defeat and turned to leave, only to be halted when the gates buzzed and squealed open in that same way they had the last he had been here.

_Thank God..._

Ichigo began the trek up the medium length driveway towards the oak doors, intent on talking with Rukia to have a chance to talk away what it is she may or may have not seen. As he neared, the front doors opened and out came the girl he had been hoping to talk to.

Rukia came out dressed in a pair of black sweat pants and a sleeveless white undershirt that gave him a slight view of her white bra. It was only visible to him thanks to the fact the full moon was so close.

She crossed her arms and stared at him as he stepped up the three steps to stand directly in front of her. Her head bent upwards at him to stare with an unreadable expression, as if no emotion was within her. It disturbed him.

"Uh, hey." Ichigo said lamely, unsure of how to approach the subject.

"What do you want?" She said bluntly, obviously not in the mood for pleasantries.

Ichigo sighed. "I came to talk to you about the other night..." He said, hesitant to say the wrong thing. He still wasn't sure what it was she thought, because really he didn't know what it was she saw and how she was reacting to it. He would wait for her to say what it was she thought.

"What about it, hm?" She inquired, raising a brow. She was questioning him, leading him to believe she may have seen more than he wanted.

Ichigo fought for the right words to say. "How...how is Renji?" He asked, feeling like an idiot.

Rukia frowned at him fiercely. "He's stitched up. I had to hobble him down the street until our driver came and helped. We spent the night at the hospital." She said bitterly.

Ichigo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah...I'm sorry I bailed. I had an...emergency."

"I figured." She said, her eyes softening. "What happened? You looked like you were in pain."

"I...um..." He mumbled, fighting tooth and nail to think of an excuse. "I...have a bit of an issue..."

"Like?"

Ichigo looked into her eyes, and was reminded of that terrified look she had given him when he had looked up that night. He felt himself falter in his confidence, and was stuck just staring into her eyes as she awaited his answer.

"I..."

"Ichigo? Are you going to answer me?" She questioned, impatient.

He, again, sighed. "I have...post-traumatic stress disorder."

Her brows shot straight up, having not expected that answer. "You what?"

Ichigo kept with it. "Yeah I...some time ago, my mother...she was murdered...and I was there." He said, feeling his heart race at the memory.

Rukia looked up at him and fidgeted slightly, as if uncomfortable. "Ah...well I am sorry." She said.

Ichigo's eyes looked everywhere but her. "Last night...the violence I guess just got to me." For once in the last two years he was being honest. No lies, just the truth. "I lost myself, and knew that if I stayed with you two it wouldn't have ended well."

She processed this in her head, her lips pursing lightly as she delved into thought. He noticed how pink her lips were, despite the lack of make-up. In fact when he thought about it he had never seen her wearing any kind of make-up at all since he had met her.

_All natural,_ He thought, impressed, and slightly transfixed.

"You figure I'll believe that?" She haughtily replied, again narrowing her eyes at him. "You were _screaming_, as if in pain. Tell me the truth Kurosaki or else I will have to kick your ass."

Ironic how the first time he was being honest was the only time anyone ever accused him of lying. "I'm telling the truth, Rukia. Please, believe me." He said, almost begging her.

She stared at him, studying his face for any proof that he may be lying. He kept his face submissive, not wanting to argue or fight with her. He just wanted her to know he was a safe person, who no one had to fear or worry about.

"Alright..." She relented, her face softening and her arms falling to her side. "I guess as long as you're fine."

Ichigo gave a playful snort. "Since when do you care for _my_ safety?" He teased.

Rukia scoffed. "I'm not as cold-hearted as you claim, _peasant._" She said, smirking at him.

Ichigo returned the smirk, feeling better knowing everything was back to normal. "Sure you aren't." He said, chuckling lightly. "Well, that's really all I wanted to say. I'm sorry about our little get-together was ruined."

"It's fine." She said.

"Maybe some time we can try again." He offered, feeling light from his relief.

Rukia gave him a speculative look. "Hm...fine, if you want so badly." She said, grinning as she was in her element. She had been asked out so many times before she knew the methods. She knew the dance, and would preform her act to the letter. "Maybe tomorrow? I'm free if you are."

Ichigo's smile dropped instantly, something Rukia took note of. "Ah...well this weekend I'll be busy." He said, scratching the back of his head nervously.

Rukia frowned at him. "Doing what?" She asked.

Ichigo dropped his hand and again fought to search through the vault of his brain for something excusable. "I have a camping trip. I'm going out to the woods until Tuesday." He said.

"What?" She blinked at him. "You're gonna go camping near winter time? And on a school weekend, plus missing next Monday?" She bombarded him with questions, making him feel absolutely foolish.

No one had really ever questioned his camping trips this thoroughly.

"Yes." He said, forcing himself to sound affronted by her questions. "I like winter, and I figured after the other day's incident I'd go and relish in...the cold weather." He felt like an idiot times ten.

From the look she was giving him: So did she.

"That's odd." She said bluntly. "You'll die out there." She said.

_If only..._ "'I'll be fine, honestly. Your worrying side is showing, midget."

Rukia's face contorted into a scowl and leer. "Don't call me a midget strawberry!" She shouted at him. "I'm just saying that it's really weird you're going camping of all times!"

"Whatever, short-cake."

"Stupid asshole!"

"Stuck-up bitch!"

They glared at one another- amber versus violet.

"Fine, be weird." She scoffed, turning and crossing her arms yet again. "But if you freeze it isn't on me."

"Of course." Ichigo grumbled. "You do as you do." He said, turning. "I've got work. I'll talk to you at school."

"Wait," Rukia called just as Ichigo started down the driveway. He halted, turning and looking at her as she debated over something.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Ichigo..." She began uncertainly. "Before, in the alley, I saw something." She said. "Something that has been haunting me since..."

Ichigo fought to keep his eyes from widening and his heart from racing. "What was it?" He tried to sound calm and concerned.

"When you fell down onto your hands and knees," She said, the words coming out odd to them both. "I saw your eyes..." Ichigo couldn't hide the surprise from his face at this.

"What...what did you see?"

"They were glowing." She said.

Ichigo stared at her for a moment, their eyes locked as he was speechless. He stood there, frozen as his mind fuzzed. She stared back, expectant for an answer.

After a bout of silence, Ichigo turned and walked away without saying a word.

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><p><strong>Like? I kind of did. I figure this chapter was the beginning of my redemption. I am trying harder to ease Rukia's character into a more understandable one, not so bi-polar like I had been doing. Need to fix problems!<strong>

**So, I want to address something everyone has been asking me. The Werewolf mythology in this story is a very odd one. Basically how it goes is Ichigo transforms during the full moon (During ****the Apex, not the three nights of it). That is a certain. **_**But**_**, whenever he fills up with too much of an extreme emotion- anger, frustration, that sort of thing- he may transform then and there. It's kind of like that new MTV show **_**Teen Wolf**_**- which is downright cheesy but I'm so desperate for a Werewolf **_**anything**_** that I'm watching it- in which he fights the transformation every second of everyday. Though, not as dramatic. **

**Ichigo is afraid that **_**any**_** emotion could make him change. That's why he refused to play video games with Tatsuki and Orihime in that previous chapter. He's so scared of it all that he deprives himself of feeling too much other than his own apprehension. **

**Hope this helped. **

**REVIEW!**


	11. Days Since Incident:   1

**Well isn't this a bit awkward...been a few months since I last updated, eh? Well! I sincerely apologize and I will punish myself severely for my insolence!...later, after Dexter and American Horror Story...these count as my soaps...**

**Since I don't want to keep you waiting for ze awesomeness of my story I'll shut up and let you read!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or the characters associated with the Manga/Anime. This is a non-profit parody and should be treated as such. Please support the official release.**

* * *

><p><em>Days since incident: 1<em>

Ichigo had walked for an hour before what had just happened hit him. After leaving Rukia's place he had found himself wandering the streets with no goal other than to not return home. He felt that if he went home and sat down with himself he'd crack and freak out. But, despite trying to avoid the scenario, the crack ran down his psyche and he was now freaking out in the middle of the street.

She had seen it. She had _seen_ it.

Well...she _thought_ she saw his eyes glowing. That couldn't mean much, could it?

But he hadn't denied it! He had panicked and walked away without saying a word, thus confirming that something had actually happened that night. Now Rukia was going to suspect him of being different- of being _abnormal._

What if she inspected him? She certainly had the money to set some detective or cop or agent or _something_ on him. It wouldn't be hard to tell something was weird about him if someone was to determinately watched him. They'd notice his anxiety towards other people...his avoidance of anything too exciting...his monthly trips to the woods...

_Get a grip Ichigo!_ He scolded himself. He shouldn't be freaking out like this. Rukia wouldn't do such a thing. She wasn't _that_ crazy. Or was she? She _did_ semi-stalk him to find out where his house was...but then again what could she think was wrong with him? Surely her mind was too narrow to believe there was something otherworldly going on with him? But then again she might still be curious to what was up with him despite this disbelief, and would eventually discover the otherworldly aspects of Ichigo's life.

"Ugh!" Ichigo ruffled his orange hair in frustration. What was he to do?

"You seem very uptight," said a voice from behind him.

Ichigo spun around so quickly he nearly lost balance. Standing there, with her bobbing purple hair and red ribbon, was Senna.

"Senna? What're you doing here?" He asked, a lump having formed in his throat due to the shock of Senna's appearance.

"I came to see you. You're not hard to find, you know. I can smell the anxiety from a mile away." She said, grinning slyly. "What has you in a bind?"

"Nothing," Ichigo said quickly. He did not want to discuss the possible exposure of their kind- what a _insane_ thought- with her. "What did you want to see me for?" He said, trying to steer the conversation away from his turmoil.

Senna stared at him for a moment, then gave a tiny shrug; as if deciding on something in her head. "I wanted to talk to you...you know, about _tomorrow._" She said, emphasizing the word with meaning.

Ichigo knew exactly what she meant. "Alright...c'mon then, let's go to my place." He said, sinking his hands into his pockets and turning heel in the direction of his apartment.

Ichigo and Senna walked side-by-side back to the _Urahara Shoten, _both with an equal sense of foreboding. He was surprised by the seriousness in Senna's demeanor as they walked in total silence back to his apartment. He glanced her from the corner of his eye, noting the look on her face. She looked as if debating something important.

They turned down the street he lived on and he spotted the old candy shop standing in front of the orange and red glow of the sky behind it. He saw the light inside and realized he still had work tonight.

"We're going to have to make this quick, I have to work in a few minutes." Ichigo said, using this as an excuse to fully look at his companion.

She still looked as if debating something, but now he could see the smoldering look in her eyes. She looked up at him, and he was struck by that familiar tingling under his skin.

"It won't take long," Senna said, nodding to him in acknowledgment. He returned the nod and led her behind the building to the back door to his apartment. Once inside they walked up the stairs in silence, Ichigo's chest tightening in anticipation for what may be said. Did Senna have something very important to tell him? Some valuable advice on what to do? He hoped so...maybe something to ease the pain...

As Ichigo closed the door of his apartment behind them, Senna sat on his bed. He opted to keep his shoes on, knowing that he had work in ten minutes. He turned to her, a frown on his face.

"Alright..." Ichigo began hesitantly, unsure of what to say.

"What do you usually do for the full moon?" Senna asked him suddenly. This took him by surprise, even though he suspected such a question might be asked.

"I...go for a hike." He said lamely.

"A hike?" She echoed, perching a brow.

"Yeah..."

Senna sighed. "There's more to it, explain please. What exactly do you do to prepare?" She asked.

Ichigo rubbed the back of his head, running through the plan he had been using for the last two years. "Well...I pack a bag of clothing and start walking into the woods at the crack of dawn. I find a neat place and settled in until..._it_ happens."

She gave him a stern frown. "That's it?"

Ichigo nodded.

"What about for after the transformation?" She asked.

He blinked in confusion, feeling awkward and stupid. "Come again?"

"What do you do after you wake up? How do you find your bag? How do you get home?"

"Scent," Ichigo pointed to his nose. "Perk, isn't it?" He said bitterly. "I find my way around by following my own scent through the woods."

"Clever," Senna nodded. "How do you make sure you don't make it into the city?" She asked.

"I walk _really_ far into the woods." He said.

"How close do you usually make it to _Karakura_?"

Ichigo averted his eyes as he answered: "Not _that_ close..."

Senna grunted in annoyance. "You have to find a way to keep the wolf's path away from the city." She said.

Ichigo sighed and slumped into his desk's chair. With a grunt he pulled out his school bag and laid out his homework for the weekend on the table. He would worry about it once Senna was gone. "How exactly do I do that? Not like I can tell it to go the other way."

"You need to bring food with you," Senna said. "Raw steak, a chicken or two, stuff that the wolf would like. If you hide them in strategic places away from the city it will go on a hunt for them. Thus lowering your chances of a massacre."

Ichigo leaned back in his chair, scowling as he contemplated how in the hell he would be able to afford such foods so often. "Fine...I'll deal with that." He said.

"Good," Senna nodded in satisfaction, her purple hair bobbing with her head.

"I have a few questions of my own now," Ichigo said, locking Senna with a hard look. He wouldn't let her leave until he could finally ask questions that have been plaguing him since day one.

"Ask away,"

"How the _fuck_ do I control this?" He asked straightaway, throwing subtlety out of the window.

Senna stared at him, her mouth pursing in thought. "Well...that's not really something I can explain properly."

Ichigo scowled fiercely. "Why not?"

"Because how _you_ control it is completely up to you." She said, crossing her arms. "I've met very few werewolves who could control it at all, and they all have different methods in doing so. One did so with yoga, while another used pure willpower to stop the transformation out of the full moon."

"How do _you_ do it then?" Ichigo asked, ignoring his astonishment that there actually were _more_ of what he was out there. Were all of them like him? Hiding away from the world in some small apartment praying each night he wouldn't kill someone the next day?

"That's not important," Senna waved her hand dismissively. "What matters is how _you're_ going to control it."

Ichigo grunted. "How do we go about that? Some sort of training or something?"

"No, don't be stupid." Senna shook her head. "There is no special 'training' for this sort of thing. It's really just having ambition." She said.

"Take your own advice and explain," Ichigo said, giving her a strange look.

"When the transformation begins," She began, leaning forward with a hard expression of seriousness. "You have to find a way to stop it. Something that helps you prevent it, whether it be mentally or physically. You have to find what it is that keeps you...human."

Ichigo considered this. What _did_ make him human? Flesh, bone, blood, brain. Though those things are shared with the beast within him, so what then? Love? Compassion? Logical thought? Nothing seemed to be enough...

"What keeps _you_ human, Senna?" He asked again.

Senna looked down at her feet, which were still dressed in her slip-on shoes. "The hope that I'll find a mate someday..." She whispered.

"A _mate_?" Ichigo repeated, flabbergasted. "What do you mean a _mate_?"

"Don't worry about that, Ichi-_go_." Senna sung his name, smiling. "I've probably filled you with too much information as it is, I'll explain _all_ of this stuff in due time." She said, standing with a skip in her step, her old chipper self back in place. "Let's worry about tomorrow and then we'll worry about the details of Lycanthropy."

Ichigo scowled in indignation. "Wait, I still have more-"

"Monday," Senna said, walking to his door with a wave over her shoulder. "I'll explain more. I'm tired and hungry and I believe you have work five minutes ago."

Ichigo looked at the clock and cursed aloud. "I'm late!" He groaned, standing and fussing about his apartment.

"Have a good one, Ichigo." Senna said, smiling to herself as she closed the door behind her.

Ichigo paid little attention to Senna's departure, but focused mainly on what she had told him. He had to find a way to stay human; to stave off the transformation outside the full moon. But how? There was nothing that could possibly keep him intact when the pain started. The fear of what he has become was much stronger than any thought, memory, or feeling he could produce.

But like Senna said, he'd deal with it Monday. What could he do now? The night before the big day. There wasn't a thing he could do about any of it at this precise moment.

So, instead of fretting over it all, he ran down into the shop where Urahara and Chad were waiting for him for his shift. He would lose himself in his work, fighting the thought that tomorrow at this time he'd be in the cold, lonely woods.

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><p><strong>Sorry for the incredibly shortness of this. I was so hungry to post an update I kind of rushed this, but I promise next one will be better. I have already started it, and will try my hardest to get it done as soon as possible with the best results I can give you. <strong>

**-Time for the excuses-**

**The reason I haven't updated in so long is because well...life is getting in the way. I'm sure you've heard this from every Fanfiction writer who has been taking a long time to post- I know I have- but it's true. We as FF writers don't bullshit with this excuse, because it's not so much an excuse as it is the truth. In the recent times I've: 1) Been fired from my job. 2) Found a new job but it ended last Friday so I'm out of a job once more. 3) Been dumped by my girlfriend over text rather than call or in-person. And also I've been working on my book, which is NEARLY complete. **

**So...there's my excuse(s). **

…

**REVIEW!**


	12. Full Moon

**Alright, here come the excuses:**

**I'm sorry it's taken me so damn long to update! I've been so busy! I've completed my novel and have been focusing a lot of my time on getting it published. I've made progress, so I can at least say I haven't been wasting my time! Plus unfortunately I've been going through a lot of personal issues. I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and that has been acting up a lot lately, so I've started medicine and therapy and that has distracted me from FF a lot. **

**But! I haven't lost the fire. I'm still here, and I'm still trying. So don't give up on me!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

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><p><em>Estimated time until Full Moon: Six Hours.<em>

Ichigo stared upwards at the sky, a clenching inside of his chest making it hard to breath properly. He swallowed hard, trying to clear the lump in his throat, but only succeeded in making his nerves more hot. He gave a sad sigh.

He was so close to the Change that he could feel his skin crawl.

He stood by the back door of the _Urahara Shoten _with his dark jacket and purple _Vibes_ shirt on. He held a large black duffel bag tightly in his hand, weighing it up and down as he stared into the sky in thought. Not too long from now he'd be completely gone...

He felt numb, his fingers cold. He stood there for some time, listening to the arrhythmical beat of his heart, feeling so disconnected from everything as what was to come was at the forefront of his mind.

With a resolute huff he set off into the woods, hefting his duffel bag behind him like a reluctant child dragging their backpack to school.

–

Rukia sat in her white limo watching Ichigo from afar. She watched him exit the little building he lived in and sigh and move on to the forest. She frowned, her brows knitting as she watched him trudge his way between the trees. "I'm going to follow him." She said to her driver, who had said nothing of this little endeavor despite his worry for the young woman.

"Are you sure that's wise, Kuchiki-chan?" He asked with concern, looking back at Rukia with his wrinkled brow furrowed.

She nodded. "There's something I have to figure out about him...it won't leave me alone." She said, opening the door and stepping outside. She turned as her driver rolled down the passenger window and looked at her with concern.

"Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?" He asked. "We don't know too much about this kid, and from what we've seen he's very peculiar."

Rukia shook her head. "That's why I want to follow him. I want to find out _what_ is so peculiar about him."

"If you're sure..." The old man relented weakly, still watching her with his wary eyes. "Please, be careful. I get an odd feeling about that boy..."

"So do I..." Rukia said, closing the limo door and sprinting after Ichigo into the woods.

–

The two hours it took to reach as far as he had into the forest felt like a whole lifetime to Ichigo. He adjusted the duffel bag on his shoulder and wiped away the sweat from his brow. The air was growing colder and colder the further he went into the trees, but his exertion and his increased body heat made it feel as if he was standing directly under the sun in his jacket and jeans.

He stopped to lean against a tree, taking in a deep breath as he dropped the duffel bag onto the ground to rest his sore arm. He sniffed at the air, taking in the pine scent that swam up his nostrils and made him a bit dizzy. He tried as hard as he could to block out the smell, for it haunted his dreams at night for it foretold of what was to come this night.

He twirled his shoulder in a circle three times in both directions before snatching the bag back up and continuing his traveling. As much as he wanted to rest a little longer he knew that the two hours he had spent walking was a mere twenty minutes to the beast once it was free to roam.

Ichigo needed to be as far from the city as humanly possible.

–

As soon as Ichigo started back up the makeshift path he had made for himself Rukia came out from behind a tree. She frowned, bundled up in her black winter coat as she tried to figure out what on earth that boy was doing. She had been following him for two hours, and in that time she had tried to figure out what could be out here that was so important that Ichigo had to walk to it like this.

Was he crazy? Was _she_ crazy? He may be the weirdo walking out into the woods in the freezing cold, but she was the one following him. More than once she contemplated turning and going back to her limo where it was warm and sane, but her curiosity beat out her reasoning and she continued to follow him at a distance.

She had already come this far, why give up now?

–

Ichigo was losing track of time. How long had he been walking? Three hours? Four? _Five_? His feet felt like bricks that he was being forced to carry up a hill. He was growing very tired, and feared he may pass out soon if he didn't rest.

He leaned against a tree and slid down it to sit on the cold earth, dropping his bag on the ground next to him. He took a few minutes to just breathe, feeling the throbbing of his feet and the beat of his heart in his temples. He wiped away some of the sweat from his forehead, sighing as he reached out and opened his duffel bag, taking out one of the few dozen water bottles he had stashed inside to sip from.

The sky was growing darker, the full moon barely visible in the sky, each second a second closer to the Change. Ichigo counted in his head, his anxiety rising with each second he ticked off. It was also growing colder. His breath turned to mist in the air in front of him, mesmerizing him as he imagined shapes in the mist like he used to do as a child.

After he counted to fifty-five he decided this would be a good spot to hide one of his meats. After his discussion with Senna he decided to take her advice and had stacked up on raw chickens and steaks. He had two chickens and four steaks and one thing of hotdogs. He picked up one of the chickens and unwrapped it, searching for a good place to hide it to distract the beast from making its way towards town.

–

Rukia was growing frustrated now. She had been following Ichigo for far too long, and she was questioning whether or not this crazy son of a bitch had a real destination in mind or if he was just walking this far out in hopes of freezing to death.

The cold was getting to her, as was the trek. She was panting, her lungs feeling as if on fire. She was by no means out of shape, she had run track in her old school, but this was ridiculous! Walking this far out into the woods in such temperatures was outright ludicrous!

Her phone had vibrated in her pocket a few times, and again made the annoying buzzing sound. She checked it to see it was Renji, wondering where she was. Her driver had called a few times as well, both very concerned for her. But she had ignored them. She couldn't risk making too much noise while telling them both to back off.

She was thankful for the break, and used it to catch her breath and watch Ichigo just sit against the tree. Did he finally reach where he had been aiming for? She watched him just breathing and staring at his own breath like an idiot for what felt like half an hour. Finally, just as she was preparing to pull her hair out in impatience, Ichigo reached for his bag and pulled out...

_What is that?_

She squinted through the brush at the odd pink thing in his hands. He unwrapped it, tossing the net-like thing that had been containing the pink thing to the side as he stood and scanned the area. She looked harder, and was absolutely dumbfounded when she realized it was a goddamn _chicken._

"He's fucking crazy..." She whispered under her breath, her words accompanied by a mist. She decided this was the last straw and stomped her way out of her hiding spot towards the orange haired lunatic.

–

"What in the hell are you doing out here?"

Ichigo's whole body was assaulted by a powerful jolt that left him numb and stupid. That voice...it was impossible. He was hearing things. There's no way _she _would be out _here_...

Ichigo spun on his heel, his eyes widening to the size of saucers as he spotted Rukia pushing her way towards him, her face set in a deep scowl. His heart skipped a beat, his whole body going completely numb from shock.

"You...what...why...here..." Ichigo stammered, gaping at Rukia as if she had pulled a second head from out of her ass. He fought to find logic, tried to reason away this image that could not be real. She _could not_ be here, not _now._

"What do you think you're doing out here? Are you crazy?" Rukia said, crossing her arms as she glared at him. "What are you looking for? You can't be _hiking_, it's too cold for that. So what is it? And why do you have a raw chicken in your hands?"

"You can't be here..." Ichigo managed to say without choking on the lump that had doubled in his throat.

Rukia's brow furrowed. "Why not? What are you doing out here Ichigo?"

Ichigo began to hyperventilate. She couldn't be here. But she was. He was looking right at her. She was standing there, glaring at him in total ignorance of what was to come. "You have to go." He said sternly, dropping the chicken to the ground.

Rukia raised a brow. "Not until you answer-"

"You have to go _now_!" Ichigo bellowed, his heart beating so fast he feared it would burst. "You don't understand what's going to happen! You have to go! Run as far away from me as possible!"

"Ichigo, listen to yourself! Why do I have to run? What's wrong?" Rukia stepped closer to him and he flinched.

"_No!_ Get away from me!" Ichigo turned and ran away from her, forcing his tired legs to buck up and carry him as fast as they could away from her. She was in danger, and he needed to get away before it was too late.

"_Ichigo!_" Rukia called after him, giving chase. He could hear her footsteps behind him, her quickened breath blowing out from her mouth as she tried to catch up to him, but he was fast despite his fatigue. Renewed energy was coursing through his veins as he tried to put as much distance between them as possible.

How had he missed her? His senses were at their strongest, and yet he had overlooked her scent, had been deaf to her footsteps behind him. How could he have missed her presence? He usually was so acute to other people's presence. Yet she had sneaked up behind him in the one place in the world where it should have been the easiest to detect another.

It's because he was trying to ignore his senses. He put so much effort into ignoring his heightened senses and because of that he had missed her entirely.

_I'm such an idiot!_

He brushed past trees and crushed leaves under his feet as he ran. He did zigzags through the woods, trying to lose her, but he could still hear her behind him. He chanced a glance and saw her a few feet behind him, panting as she chased. She was fast, faster than most, but he had a bit of an unfair advantage alongside a head start. He turned forward and forced his legs to pump faster.

"Ichigo! Please wait! I want to talk to you!" Rukia called after him, desperation and exhaustion in her voice. Ichigo ignored her. She didn't understand what was coming, what he would do to her if he couldn't lose her in time...

High above, Ichigo could see the moon glowing bright in the now blackened sky. Time was running out!

"Please...please...no..." Ichigo panted as he ran. He didn't want to be a killer, he didn't want blood on his hands. He wouldn't be able to live with himself.

Ichigo chanced another look behind him, and in that moment he was smacked in the side of the face by a congregation of branches. He cried out, his vision a blur as he tried to regain orientation. But before he could balance himself he tripped and found himself rolling down a steep slope into a small clearing between the trees.

His whole world spun for a few moments after he hit the ground, hard. He groaned, turning onto his back as he tried to steady himself from that horrible fall.

"Are you okay?"

Ichigo's eyes snapped open as Rukia stood at the top of the slope, looking down at him in shock. Sweat was dripping off her chin to the ground, her chest heaving as she looked down at him in concern.

"Ichigo? Are you okay? I'm coming down!" She called as she moved forward, preparing to slide down the slope to his aid.

Ichigo was quick to turn over and raise his hand for her to halt. "No! Please, don't come any closer!" He yelled.

Rukia stopped, looking at Ichigo with wide, confused eyes. "Ichigo! Will you just tell me what's going on?" She bellowed, clenching her fists at her sides in frustration.

"Please, just don't come any-"

Before Ichigo could complete the sentence, a pain so intense it rocked his very soul erupted in the pit of his stomach. He screamed, the pain latching out to every cell in his body to engulf him in a cocoon of pure agony.

"What's happening?" Rukia's voice sounded so far away, yet so close. It was as if there were two Rukias, one screaming in his ear while the other screamed from across a field. His head throbbed with her voice, his vision blurring as the pain disorientated him.

"It's happening..."

"What? _What _is happening Ichigo?" Rukia yelled. "I'm coming down! Just wait!" She said.

"No! Run away!" Ichigo roared, snapping his head up to look at her. She froze, staring with wide eyes at him as he groaned and writhed on the ground in pain.

In the darkness of the night Rukia could see the glow of his eyes. Ichigo could feel them burning, his eye sockets on fire as his vision sharpened. It dizzied him. He lowered his head and screamed again as a new wave of pain overtook him, sending him spiraling down a tunnel where there was no return.

"_Run!_"

But Rukia didn't run. She stood there, watching with stunned, morbid fascination as Ichigo transformed. She listened as he screamed, his voice carrying on through the forest to scare away the birds. She watched as he writhed on the ground, tearing off his jacket and ripping his shirt in half as his skin reddened and his bones cracked and his muscle ripped. She watched as claws sprouted from his fingertips, dark hair grew in patches along his body, and his shoulders expanded as his ribcage pressed forward.

Fangs grew in his mouth, blood and spit dripping from his lips as he howled, his voice shifting as his vocal cords tore. He grew in girth, his arms and legs growing with new muscle. His pants ripped and fell to the ground in shreds, his calves bending and rising into the air. Ridges formed on his face, his jaw and forehead distending forward to form a snout.

Rukia watched every second of it, unable to move as she witnessed the curse of the moon. She watched as Ichigo transformed from a normal teenage boy into a large, humanoid beast with claws and fangs and fur all along its body.

"Ichigo...what are you?" She whispered.

The beast stood on two legs, at least seven feet tall with a large hulking figure. Muscle rippled under its skin as it breathed in the air of the forest, snorting as its evil glowing eyes scanned the world around it. It flexed its clawed fingers, testing its mobility.

Finally, as it reached one hundred percent, it raised its long muzzle into the sky and let loose a powerful long-winded howl to its master: the full moon.

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><p><strong>You like? I did. I <em>love<em> t write transformation scenes. It's a calling, I swear. **

**I'm sorry it's kind of short, but I really wanted to get this out. There might be a lot of mistakes, and I'm sorry for that. It's four in the morning here and I'm beat. I have stuff to do tomorrow so I'll make this short and sweet. **

**Please don't give up on me! I'm still here, and I'm working hard. Every moment that isn't spent in therapy or in the bathroom is spent here on the computer writing! My novel is my number one focus, but this story is number two I swear! So don't give up!**

**Oh, and check out my profile. For my book I've started a Facebook page and a Blog. It was suggested to me by a good already-published-author friend that I need to start expanding my fanbase even before my book is published. So please check those out, and like and follow if it interests you!**

**REVIEW!**


	13. Full Moon 2

**Wow! Am I really updating again this quickly? It's the end of the world!**

**Heh, no. I've been feeling so guilty for not updating recently that I went right to work on this chapter immediately after posting last chapter. I'm surprised I had enough inspiration to write this in such a short time. I actually thought I would be taking a few weeks to do it, but it only took me two days. I'm so proud of myself!**

**Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

* * *

><p><em>Estimated time until end of full moon: Ten hours.<em>

It wasn't until the beast's glare set onto her did Rukia finally get the wit to turn and run for her life. The creature's howl was still echoing through the forest, signaling to the inhabitants that the hunt was on, and if you didn't hide in time you were the prey.

Unfortunately, Rukia didn't hide in time.

She was the prey.

The beast was on her tail before she had reached half the distance she wished to make. It loped after her on all fours, its evil eyes glowing in the darkness as it chased. She ran back the way she came, following the aftermath of the chase she had given after Ichigo. There was no point to running this way, only that it just seemed right. If she retraced her steps she could go back to before this beast was in existence, before when it was her facing down Ichigo, and then she could go back further when she was just following him, and then to when she was in her limo, and then when she was at home contemplating the strangeness of the orange haired boy who had captured her interest with said strangeness.

She could hear something moving to her left, and when she looked her heart did a flip as the beast stared at her as it kept pace. It was toying with her, moving around the trees with ease and, dare she say it, grace. In the woods the beast was home, and she was at a disadvantage. She needed to find a way out, but how? They were so far in! Ichigo had led her hours into the woods on foot, meaning it would take just as long to get back. But she didn't have hours. She probably didn't even have minutes left in her life...

Rukia spun on her heel and dashed in the opposite direction of the creature, sweat now dripping off of her face in giant clumps. Her coat felt heavy, slowing her down. She unzipped it and, in her moment of complete panic, threw it at the beast as it came close to her. The coat did nothing to stop deter the beast, as it easily ripped through it with its deadly claws.

_Crap!_ What had she been thinking? Of course that would do nothing to stop it!

She now felt lighter though, so that was a plus. Her purple sweater would have to be enough to keep her warm. The cold wind smacked her in the face as she ran, blowing strands of her raven hair into her eyes. She shook her head to clear her vision, cursing her long hair. If ever she made it back she was going to slice this damn hair off!

She did her best to zigzag around the trees, trying with all her might to disorientate the beast and slow it down, but it merely copied her movements. It was so much faster than her, so why hadn't it caught her yet?

_Because it wants you to feel fear,_ She thought. The creature was evil, playing with her to increase the fun of the kill. What kind of creature did such a thing? What _was_ it? Suddenly she was hit with the realization that this was _Ichigo_ chasing her. Ichigo, the strange orange haired boy who had dismissed her natural charms, the boy who had captured her interest. He had told her to leave him alone, to go because he wasn't interested. She now understood it all; why he was so reclusive, why he brushed her off so easily, why his eyes had glowed that night at the club and why he was so defensive about it...

She should have listened. She should have run away when he told her to. She shouldn't have followed him all the way out here. When Renji and her chauffeur told her to just forget about him she should have took their advice and moved on with her life.

Her curiosity has killed her. She had ignored everyone, all common sense and come out here to stare into the face of her death. The beast was closing in on her, the games starting to become stale as it barred its fangs and came closer and closer...

Rukia ducked under a branch and found herself stumbling slightly down a slope. She fought to keep balance and raced towards a bank. A fast stream was flowing between rocks down the slope off to her left she noticed.

An idea suddenly hit her.

Rukia waited a few moments as the beast drew closer, waiting for the right moment before moving. The slope was getting steeper as she ran, which was perfect.

Finally, as she could just barely feel the beast's breath on the back of her neck, she pushed off a tree and bolted off towards the stream. The beast hit the ground where she had just been, tumbling to the ground like a fish out of water. It roared in anger, standing on all fours and running after her.

She had a good head start on the creature now. She came up to the stream and stopped. She turned as the monster came barreling at her. She panted, the sweat on her face cold against her hot skin. Her heart was racing a mile a minute, hammering against her ribcage as the beast came closer.

It slowed, growling menacingly as it glared at her. She watched as it crawled towards her, the bulging muscle on its back flexing as it moved. Suddenly it shifted and stood on its back two legs, standing nearly three feet taller than her. Her breath became much more labored as fear spread through her. It crept closer, brandishing its long, hooked claws to show it was delighted to have her in its grasp.

When she had watched Ichigo transform she had been so shocked she hadn't gotten a good enough look at the creature he had turned into. The muzzle on its face was half her arm's length and slightly broader, its fur dark but with a slightly copper tint to it. Its body resembled a man's, but the head and feet were more like...a wolf's. Her eyes widened as an incredibly awful thought raced through her mind. Was he...was he...?

She pushed the thought aside. This was not the time to wonder such things. She would do it later, _after_ she survived.

"Come on," Rukia called, forcing her voice to be stern and confident rather than small and frightened like she felt. Her call made the creature snort and open its rubbery lips to reveal those fangs again. She clenched her fists, preparing herself for what was to come.

It gave a bark, and then a roar as it lunged at her, its claws spearing towards her. She moved by pure reflex, ducking under the claws and diving under the creature's body as it went head first into the stream. Water splashed into the air as the heavy creature fell into it, hitting and soaking Rukia's shoes and pants. She drew herself up and turned to watch as the beast flopped about, trying to swim back to shore, but failed as the current took it down the stream, slamming it against rocks, thus further disorientating it.

She didn't wait to watch any more. She stood and ran in the opposite direction the current was heading and back into the woods. The beast would eventually catch itself and get back onto land, but hopefully by then Rukia would have put a good amount of distance between them.

–

Rukia didn't know how long she had been running, but she knew it was for a very long time. She had turned away from the stream long ago, running through the forest in hopes of breaking free and finding civilization. But as she ran she found no sign of ever breaking free of this forest.

After a while she stopped running and just walked. She knew it was stupid, but she had put a lot of distance between herself and the creature and she figured she at least had a few minutes to catch her breath and replenish her energy should the beast come after her again.

She didn't know where she was, nor did she know if she was even going in the right direction. For all she knew she was going further into the forest. But what else could she do other than blindly wander? She didn't have map of the forest, nor did she have any prior knowledge of the layout. She was new to _Karakura_, and knew practically nothing about it.

She cursed the day her brother forced her to switch from private to public school. He had decided she was becoming too prissy, too spoiled, and was in need of some level-heading. She had argued with him for hours, saying how he had gone to private school his whole life, and that she was _not_ spoiled and prissy. But he had insisted, leaving no room for arguments.

Had she stayed in _Seireitei _private school she would be at home right now, cozy in her blankets watching TV or hanging out with her friends or even at a party with Renji. She wouldn't be here in the woods, running for her life from something she had not believed in just a few hours ago.

As she walked she started to think more and more on her situation. Maybe she _had_ been a bit spoiled...the way she acted towards Ichigo at first made her blush now that she truly speculated on it. She had been so condescending, thinking the only reason he ignored her was because he was playing some game. But he wasn't. He truly had no interest in her. Why should he? She had been such a bitch...

And now she was paying for it.

It was the only explanation as to why _she_ of all people were here under the creature's radar. All of the terrible things she had done in her life- insult people, making fun of those who had less than she, and throw a fit whenever she didn't get what she wanted- were accumulating to this. This was her punishment.

If only she could go back and fix everything...change her ways. Her father was right: she was in need of level-heading. And nothing leveled you out more than a life-or-death situation.

After what felt like an eternity later she stopped to rest against a tree. It was getting colder and colder as the night wore on, turning her skin a purplish blue. Her legs and feet were the worst off, seeing as they were soaked from the stream. She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as she tried to collect more body heat. If the beast didn't kill her, the temperature surely would...

Her throat was scratchy and her mouth was dry. She was so thirsty, and her stomach growled from hunger. She hadn't eaten before coming out here, and she regretted it. Starvation was the last thing she wanted to add onto her list of things that could end her this night...

She slid down the tree and sat on the cold ground, mulling over everything bad. If only she had listened...if only she had ignored Ichigo and not followed him all the way out here...if only she had listened to her driver when he asked if she was sure about this...if only she had answered the phone when they kept calling her...

Her phone...

Her phone!

Rukia's eyes widened as she remembered that she had her cellphone on her. She scrambled to stick her hands into her pockets, searching for the pink flip-phone with the chappy key-chain on it. She found nothing but lint in her jean pockets, and when she checked her back pockets there was just the same. She checked her sweater pockets, and came up empty.

Her eyes watered as she realized her cellphone had been in her coat pocket. She had thrown at the beast her one tool for help. It most likely now lay in the tattered shreds of her coat, vibrating as everyone who cared about her called in concern for her whereabouts.

It hit her that she might never see anyone again. Renji, Byakuya, her friends, her chauffeur...they would continue on as she withered away into the sky as the beast ate away at her flesh. Tears fell down her cheeks, mingling with the salt of her sweat. She was going to die out here...and there was nothing she could do about it...

"God..._DAMMIT!_" She cried into the air, her voice carrying on through the forest. "_DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!_" She beat her fists against the ground, cursing her fate as fat tears fell down her cheeks.

It had been a stupid move to yell like that. She knew it the second she heard _it._ There was the sound of a cracking stick behind her and she was on her feet in a millisecond, looking all around her with fearful, tear-filled eyes.

At first she couldn't see anything. She spun in a full circle, scanning the woods for the creature. For a moment she felt relief wash over her, until she turned her head and there it was, standing on all fours with its glowing eyes locked firmly on her.

Rukia's breath hitched deep in her throat as she stared at it. The monster gave a low growl, its hackles raised as it glared furiously at her. It had found her, and it wanted revenge for her little stunt in the stream. Its fur was still wet, iced from the cold. It gnashed its teeth viciously, smugly reveling in the fear in Rukia's eyes.

"Oh god..." Rukia was completely frozen. She hoped to God she was just seeing things, that it was just a trick the darkness was playing on her. But those glaring glowing eyes told her it wasn't an illusion, that it was real and that the Grim Reaper was sharpening his scythe as it closed in on her.

The beast took a step towards her, and she flinched. It gave a rumble in the back of its throat, almost like a laugh. It was taunting her, playing on her fear. It loved it. It wanted her to be scared, to shake and piss her pants as it came closer.

Something sparked inside of her, and she found she didn't want to go out like that. She didn't want to die scared, she didn't want to just knuckle under the beast's torment and fall victim to its viciousness. She was a fighter! She wouldn't die this easily, she swore it.

"Come and get me," She whispered before turning and running. The beast howled into the sky, loping after her, the ground quivering under its heavy gait.

Rukia pumped her legs as he renewed energy pushed her along. She was runner much faster now, faster than she had ever ran before. The cold was starting to lessen as her body heat increased from the exertion, her arms swinging at her sides as she dashed through the forest away from her hunter. She zigzagged around the trees and bushes, creating a path that would be a little difficult for the beast to follow without some effort.

Rukia glanced back at it, seeing that the beast was indeed having trouble tailing her. She could see the anger building in its eyes. That may come back to bite her- no pun intended- in the future, but for now she relished in the frustration she was causing the monster.

She spotted a small clearing ahead. Something in the back of her mind murmured that there was something about the field...she raced to it now, making a beeline towards it. There was something familiar about that clearing, and she ran to it by pure instinct.

As she broke into the clearing her foot caught on something and she cried out as she tumbled to the ground and rolled. She cursed and groaned as pain swam through her body from the impact. She shook her head, trying to regain her coordination as she looked around for what had tripped her.

There, laying on its side was a...what was that? She looked harder through the darkness, trying to make out the shape and features. It was pink, fat, and coiled in a ball. Her eyes widened as she realized it was the raw chicken Ichigo had brought with him, the one he had dropped when she showed herself to him. If that was his chicken, then that meant-

Rukia turned her head and spotted Ichigo's abandoned duffel bag laying near the tree he had rested against before the transformation. She felt her heart flutter. There had to be something in there she could use to survive!

Just as she was about to reach out and snatch it up, the beast stepped into the clearing, freezing her on the spot. She looked up into the beast's face as it snarled at her. She gasped and scrambled to sit up. She was completely vulnerable in this position. It finally had her. It gave a wolfish grin at her as it took a tantalizing step towards her, licking its chops as it anticipated the meal ahead of it.

Rukia scanned the area quickly for anything that could help her. Desperately she searched for something, _anything_ that could save her. Her eyes landed on the chicken, and she realized Ichigo had brought it out here for a reason. She looked back up at the creature as it took another slow, deliberate step towards her. She frowned, looking again at the chicken. She would only have one chance at this...

She counted to three in her head and then lunged forward for the chicken. The beast roared and charged. She snatched up the chicken and threw it at the beast with all of her strength, watching as the pink blob flew through the air.

The beast was shocked by the chicken, and caught it in its large maw just as it was about to smack it in the nose. It hit the ground inches from her, shaking its head as it registered what was in its mouth. It gave a rumble in the back of its throat and dug its teeth into the chicken, chewing on the meat with a growl of delight.

Rukia crawled backwards away from the beast, panting in shock as it came so close to her. She pushed herself up and ran again, but not before snatching up Ichigo's duffel bag and slinging it over her shoulder. It was so heavy, slowing her down a great deal. How had Ichigo lugged this thing around for so long when they were walking out here? He must have been exceptionally strong.

As she ran, she slung the bag in front of her and ruffled through it the best she could while running awkwardly. She found more meats and water bottles and two pairs of clothing. Ichigo had been prepared, she found, and was so thankful she had found this bag.

She threw the meats as hard as she could in every direction. There was another chicken, four steaks and a thing of hotdogs. She didn't even bother to unwrap the steaks and chicken as she tossed them away to distract the beast. She saved the hotdogs for last, tearing them open with her bare hands to scatter each dog into the forest. It wouldn't be much, and it would be easy for the creature to ignore the hotdogs, but she did it anyway. Anything was better than nothing.

The bag was so much lighter now. She zipped it up and let it dangle against her back as she ran for her life, feeling much more confident in her chances of survival.

* * *

><p><strong>You like? I hope so! I'm happy I could get this done so quickly, but then again it may be crap <em>because<em> I did it so quickly. I'm sorry for any errors there may be in this chapter. It's three in the morning right now and I'm so fucking tired. After I'm done with this I'ma go read _Double Dexter_ and go to sleep.**

**I would like to explain Rukia's character in this chapter. I know it may seem odd for her to suddenly be all speculating on her own character and regretting how she had acted and all that. But let me say that it's actually a very natural thing when you're in such a situation. Nothing changes you like a life-or-death situation. Very recently I had one myself, and in that time I thought of all the things I had done in my life, thinking about the times I was so certain I wasn't wrong and figuring out I really was wrong all along. You go through a transformation when surviving a situation like this, so Rukia is going through her own transformation. So expect a completely new Rukia in future chapters!**

**TWO SHOUT OUTS! I have two awesomely awesome people to give shout outs to this chapter! As always a shout out to my super awesome and sexy friend _Kuiin_! You all know her by now, so you know the drill! She's been such a help with my _Dehumanized_ Facebook page and advertising me to all her peeps. If ever I get published, there's a signed copy waiting for her! ;)**

**My other shout out is to an extremely awesome artist who drew pictures for two of my other stories! _pamianime_ is so talented and you need to go to my profile to see the pictures she drew for _Savior_ and _Werewolf Rehabilitation Camp_! They're so well done, and I'm so honored to have such awesome works dedicated to my stories! And while yer there, check out her other stuff! Like I said, she's talented as HELL!**

**REVIEW!**


	14. Full Moon 3

**YES! My third super awesome-speedy update! I'm so awesome ^_^ (Don't deny it, ya know it to be true!)**

**I've been so into Fanfiction this past week. I don't know what it is. I guess since my novel is completed and I'm just in the stage of waiting to get published I've got nothing else to do and my passion for FF has returned!**

**I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

* * *

><p><em>The prey has gotten away.<em>

_The thought was ludicrous. _Nothing _ever got away when it set its sights on it. But this one had gotten away, twice now. The prey was clever, and spry, and determined to live. Most of the prey it had encountered throughout its life had given up after a bout of play; the dark dance of macabre it and its prey shared during these hours of the moon and those special occasions where it was allowed passage in this world. _

_But this one was different. It had never encountered such a prey, such a bounty of wit and skill. How had the prey tricked it so? Anger and frustration bubbled inside of it, but there was something else brewing underneath the surface, something whispered by its conscious; the one part of it that it had no difficulty ignoring. This prey was special, and curiosity and even admiration swelled inside of it as it sauntered through the forest, sniffing the air in search of it. It had the prey's scent, and could feel the prey so close. It was closing in, and would soon have its victory. _

_But, the whispers continued to invade its mind, what exactly was the victory? The kill, or the chase itself? And what would be the point of killing now? It was full of meat, its belly bulging slightly from the plentiful findings it had attained throughout the woods. Those were rather odd prey...so unmoving and bloodless and scantily placed. _

_But why should it complain about how it was fed? The insatiable hunger it felt drove it to madness at times, and the only way to stay sane was to abate it. And it was abated. So why wonder how it was abated?_

_The prey was close, so close. The hair on the back of its neck stood on end as it sniffed and followed the salty smell of the prey's sweat. _

_There was something else about the prey, something familiar. There was an echo of something moving around in the bowls of its mind, telling it that this prey had some significance to it. But how could the prey have anything to do with it? Such a feeble creature, the prey was, and yet there was something appealing about that. There was something..._attractive_ about it. _

_It snorted and forced all of this to the back of its mind, continuing the hunt. _

–

_Estimated time until end of full moon: Five hours._

Rukia wouldn't make the mistake of stopping and resting against a tree again. She could rest after this horrible night was over. She kept moving, having stopped running some time ago, and drank greedily from one of the many water bottles Ichigo had packed inside his duffel bag to help replenish her energy.

As the night wore on, the air grew colder. Rukia cursed ever having thrown her warm coat at the beast, because now she had to worry about hypothermia. She tried to keep her body heat up by walking and wrapping her arms around herself, the duffel bag dangling against her sore legs as she moved through the brush. She wasn't sure how far she had walked, or how far civilization was from her current position; all she knew was that as long as she kept moving it would be harder for the beast to find her again.

Rukia finished drinking from the water bottle and frowned at it as she stared through the clear plastic at nothing. She dropped the bottle to the ground, not caring for loitering as she continued on and pulled the duffel bag against her hip. She opened it up and fished around inside of it, searching for another bottle to drink from. She shuffled the clothing around, her frown deepening as she came up empty. She stopped walking and brought the bag up closer to her face, pushing around the clothing in search of another bottle.

"Oh shit..." She whispered. She had drank all of the water bottles. How many had there been? Four, if she remembered right. Five if she counted the one Ichigo had sipped from when she confronted him earlier. She rubbed her face in exhaustion, scowling at her stupidity. She should have rationed out the water, should have taken small sips every so while to make sure they lasted through the night. But she was so used to excess that it hadn't occurred to her that she could run out so quickly.

For the first time in her life, she cursed her luxurious lifestyle. It had made her unprepared for the harshness of the real world, had pampered her into what she had been so sure she wasn't: a spoiled brat.

If the apocalypse were to happen she'd be one of the first to go.

She had no actual survival skills. She was so used to getting whatever she wanted at the drop of a dime that she didn't know how to function properly when it was all gone. She thought she was so smart, she thought that she could handle anything solely because she could just pay someone off. But now that she was out here in the middle of the woods, where money was probably the most worthless thing to have, she was completely at a loss on what to do.

_I have to change that,_ She thought. She continued to walk, forcing herself to not think about the dehydration that might sink in in a couple of hours. She would survive this night and change. She didn't want to be the spoiled heiress to her brother's company anymore. She didn't know what she wanted to be, but she knew that what she currently was was not what she wanted to be.

She was about to zip the duffel bag back up when an idea suddenly hit her. She opened it back up and scanned through the clothing Ichigo had packed. He had two pairs of clothing; shirts, pants, shoes, underwear- she blushed softly- and two jackets. She felt her heart flutter in relief as she took out one of the jackets and slung it around her shoulders, slipping her arms through the sleeves. It was nearly three times her size, but that made it even better as it kept her in a cocoon of warmth.

Rukia zipped up the duffel bag again and let it dangle behind her as she walked. She zipped up the jacket and snuggled into it gratefully. The throbbing of her cold fingers started to fade, and she sighed in relief.

_One less thing to worry about. _

Rukia continued her trek through the forest. How much time has passed since she last saw the beast? An hour? Two? She didn't know. But it surely wasn't long enough, because she couldn't see much of light in the sky. She could see the moon starting to descend under the horizon, but it still rained its brilliant light onto the earth, which meant the beast was still out there coming for her.

Something caught her attention as she walked. It was a smell, a familiar one. She frowned, sniffing at the air trying to determine what it was. She looked all around her, seeing nothing but darkness and trees. She scratched at her head in confusion, and with her arm up over her face she finally realized what that smell was.

It was the jacket.

_Ichigo's_ jacket.

Rukia couldn't help but blush. It was Ichigo's scent she was catching. It was masculine and wild. She tried to shake her head of the illicit thoughts that invaded her mind. How could she still think of Ichigo like that? It was technically _him_ who was chasing her right now.

But was it really him? Did he have any control over the beast that he turned into? Was he just watching through its eyes, or was he completely gone? He had told her to run, had tried to get away before he transformed. When he first saw her he looked so scared...because he knew what would happen if she was around when _it_ happened.

But what exactly was _it_? What was he? She had an idea...but it seemed so incredibly stupid that she didn't want to entertain it. But she couldn't help it. There were so many signs, so many obvious pointers that brought her to this conclusion:

_Werewolf._

What else could it be? The creature had the head of a wolf and the body of a man. Ichigo knew it was coming this night, because high above the earth the _full moon_ had risen. What else could he possibly be?

That night at the party...he had transformed. She had watched him toss around those men like nothing, and then had started screaming, as if in pain. And then those eyes...those haunting eyes that she saw in her dreams. They were the eyes of the beast that now hunted her.

Ichigo couldn't possibly have any say in what the..._wolf_ does. Otherwise he would have told it to stop, right?

Rukia sighed. She shouldn't be thinking too much. She should focus on trying to find her way out of the woods.

She continued her search for safety.

–

_What was this? It sniffed at it fervently, trying to determine if it was safe to eat or not. It smelled horrible. It smelled like if digested it would kill. There was condensation on the inside of it, little droplets of water sticking to the sides. It had been drained and tossed aside. It snorted and left it behind, following the scent. _

_It was close, so close. _

_As it followed the trail, it noticed another scent in the air. It growled lowly. Was there another prey to follow? Another to dance with and devour as the finale to the beautiful moon celebration? No, the scent was much more familiar than the first. It was...its own. No, wrong again. It wasn't its own scent, but something so similar it almost was the same. Could it be that human's? The one it inhabited? _

_But how could that loathsome being be out here when he was pushed deep down into the core of the beast? It stopped for a second to feel around in its psyche, searching for his presence, and there he was, laying dormant with his tortured mind and weak physical state. It disgusted it that it had to share a body with something so incredibly _weak.

_But then how was his scent out here? The beast moved on its four strong legs, running now to catch its prey. It could feel the moon's seductive pull fading, meaning the dance was coming to a dissatisfying climax. _

_The wolf would not end this night without blood. _

–

Rukia's breath caught deep in her throat as she heard something moving behind her. She turned to the sound, quickly hiding behind a tree to conceal herself. She peaked around it, listening for that odd sound coming from deep within the forest.

It was a loud stomping sound. As if something huge was jumping up and down awkwardly. Her heart rose up into her throat. She knew instantly what it was.

Assurance came in the form of the werewolf bustling through the brush, running on all fours towards her. She tried to hide behind the tree, but she knew it had seen her. It gave a roar and she knew it was coming right for her.

"Son of a _BITCH!_" She yelled, pushing off the tree and sprinting in the opposite direction. The wolf skidded by the tree and turned to chase her, bounding after her with lightning speed.

Rukia's eyes widened as she looked back at it. It wasn't playing around anymore. It was closing in on her fast, its yellow eyes glowing in the night like the headlights of a car. Her heart rose into her throat as she forced herself to run faster, but she knew it was futile.

Her fatigue was slowing her down. She was so tired and hungry and despite the four water bottles she had drank she was thirsty. The jacket that had been her salvation not too long ago was also slowing her down with its heavy weight on her shoulders, plus the duffel bag shuffled against the back of her knees annoyingly.

She was doomed.

Rukia slowed, her legs starting to wobble as her energy was draining quickly. She huffed and puffed, trying to push herself, but it was in vain. She prayed to God to give the strength to survive, but there was no answer. She was alone in this. Completely alone.

A branch cut her cheek, and she hissed in pain. She felt blood run slowly down to her chin, and she reached up to wipe it away, and in that moment of distraction her foot snagged on a root, and she cried out as she went face first to the cold leafy ground. She groaned, holding her forehead which took most of the force, and pushed herself up shakily onto her knees.

"This can't be happening..." She said to herself, breathing hard as her heart blasted away a mile a minute.

There was a loud thump behind her and her head snapped back to see the werewolf standing tall over her on its hind legs. It growled down at her, its eyes glowing with anger and hunger. Her eyes widened as she tried to scramble away, but it stomped its foot next to her head and she froze, looking up at it in horror as it lowered itself down to four legs and snarled in her face, its nose inches from her own.

"Oh God..." She breathed, staring up into the eyes of the beast. It was locked onto her squarely, sizing her up as it licked its chops.

She could feel its hot breath on her face, sending terrified shivers down her spine and blowing her hair away from her face. Her heart was beating so hard, panic racing through her as she stared up at the thing that had once been Ichigo Kurosaki.

"Ichigo..." She whispered his name, and she saw a sparkle of something in the creature's eyes. It gave a rumble, and eased down closer with a growl. She didn't turn away, even though she wanted to so badly. She kept her stare, and spoke again, "Ichigo...can you hear me in there?"

The beast made no movement of acknowledgment, but she felt the fact it wasn't tearing into her just yet was a sign it understood her.

"Ichigo...I know I've been nothing but a pain in your ass these past few weeks but..." She paused, trying to catch her breath and decipher her thoughts. "I'm sorry...I really am. I've been such a bitch and...I'm just sorry...I should have listened to you when you told me to get away..." A tear fell down her cheek as her emotions flared up, sliding down into her cut making it burn. She coughed out a sob, and closed her eyes as she tried to will the tears away.

The werewolf stared as she cried, its eyes following the path of the droplets falling from her eyes.

Rukia felt the wolf shift its weight on top of her, and she braced for the pain that was to come, her eyes shut tight and her fists clenched at her sides. But after as the seconds ticked, she felt nothing. There was no pain, no terrible roar that signaled her death. Had it been quick and painless and she was already dead?

She cracked open an eye, and froze as she felt something wet on her cheek. Her eyes widened as she realized that the werewolf was _licking_ her. Its long, wet tongue lapped up the tears on her cheeks, and she noticed that it was cleaning the blood off as well. It focused its licking on her cut, and she blushed brightly as a shiver ran down her body.

"W-what...?" She whispered.

The werewolf pulled back and looked into her eyes, all the anger and blood-lust gone from its stare. It gave a whimper slash moan and got off of her. She watched it with wide, shocked eyes as it stood on its two legs and looked down at her, as if waiting for something.

"I-Ichigo...? Is that you?"

The wolf's ear flickered to the side and it snapped its head to the left, growling viciously at whatever it could hear. It fell down onto all fours and raced off into the forest, leaving her alone and confused.

She stared after it, unable to process what had just happened.

What with the shock, the hunger, the thirst, the cold, and the exhaustion, she couldn't handle it anymore.

She fell limp against the ground, no longer conscious.

* * *

><p><strong>Eh? Like? No? Then GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!<strong>

**-Coughs- Anyway...**

**A big thanks to _Hekka_ who gave me an incredible idea for this story! They personally messaged me with an idea, and it sparked this whole thing in my head and now I'm rolling with it. I honestly started out this chapter as the morning after, implying Rukia just escaped the werewolf and that was it. But now with this new idea I re-did the chapter like this and I have plans for future chapters!**

**Here's a hint: The cut on Rukia's cheek means something a little more than what you might think.**

**REVIEW!**

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><p><em><strong>P.S. <strong>_**I've posted a new story! It's not a full on thing like this story, but it's going to be like three-****four chapters long. It's based on the new _Sci-Fi_ movie _Chronicle_ and is IchiRuki. You should go check it out and REVIEW!**


	15. Days Since Incident:   0

**A _FOURTH_ speedy update? It really IS the end of the world!**

**Alright, I want to start off by saying...HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY! Yes! It is one of my most favorite holidays! I'm very Irish, and my family on this day has an awesome celebration that spans all through the night! As I type this my ma is upstairs cooking her super awesome IRISH CUPCAKES AND IRISH CAKE! All green, and like a fucking orgasm in your mouth! -Drools-**

**Now, have fun reading while I stuff my face with green goodness!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

* * *

><p><em>Days since incident: 0<em>

There was a cold breeze running down his back, making him shiver violently and curl into the warmth that was encasing the rest of his body. There was a gust of wind, and Ichigo moaned as he shivered again. When he opened his mouth though, something wet and hot fell into it and he opened his eyes in shock.

For a few seconds Ichigo couldn't see anything. His vision was blurry, but there also seemed to be something in his line of sight that obscured the rest of the world from him at the same time. He frowned, trying to regain his senses and wake up. Suddenly a foul stench filled his nose and he began to gag, pulling back slightly to blink and get a better look at the think in front of him.

His eyes widened in horror. He was laying naked in the middle of some forest clearing, the cold morning wind grazing his back, cuddled against a deer. But it wasn't just an ordinary deer. Its throat, stomach, and chest cavity had been ripped open and the innards had been torn out and devoured- by_ him_. He was coated in blood from head to toe, his fingers caked with it along with little flecks of the poor animal's fur and skin. He could taste the blood in his mouth, could _feel_ it on his tongue. And to top it all off he was curled into a ball inside of the deer's hollowed out stomach like a goddamn Ton-Ton.

Ichigo disentangled himself from the dead deer and backed up away from it until his back hit a tree. He panted, staring at the dead animal with wide, horror-filled eyes. In all of his years of transforming he had never seen the animal he had killed. He had woken up covered in blood many times, but _never_ has he actually seen where the blood came from.

He stared into the soulless eyes of the poor deer, so hollow and devoid of life. There were claw marks all along its body, especially around its neck and face. The blood oozed out into a wide pool that had dried some time ago, the congealed liquid shining under the sun's rays. There was an imprint where Ichigo had been laying, showing that the beast had laid down next to the deer while it was still bleeding.

Ichigo felt his stomach curdled in disgust and he leaned over to vomit the contents of his stomach- which was most likely the deer.

He had never imagined what the beast did was so...gruesome. He had tried not to imagine it in full detail, but he had an idea that the beast just ate what it caught, not tore it to shreds and left the mangled remains to fester.

He leaned back against the tree once he was done puking and just sat there breathing, trying to calm his racing heart and shot nerves. Everything was so distorted, his brain a scattered set of thoughts and memories that he was trying to piece together so he could think properly.

Another gust of wind blew past and Ichigo shivered. It was freezing, and he was just sitting there naked against this tree covered in dried blood. He fought the urge to vomit again and forced his aching body to stand. He groaned as all of his joints banned together to protest the action, but he ignored them and started walking away from the dead deer, trying his hardest to leave it behind both literally and metaphorically.

Why had he Changed? He tried to remember. Last night had been the full moon, he remembered. He breathed a sigh of relief. It was over, thank God. He could go home and relax and spend the rest of the day sleeping in his comfortable bed...

He sniffed at the air, trying to find his way back to his bag. He found his own scent wafting through the air, and followed it.

He trudged through the forest, folding his arms over his chest as he tried to stay warm. The smell of the deer's blood followed him, since it was caked all over his body. He did his best to ignore it, promising himself he would scrub his ass clean as soon as he got home.

He wasn't sure how long he walked, but it felt like hours. The walking helped to get his body heat up, so he was thankful for that. After a while of retracing his scent he found himself by a racing stream. He sighed happily as he bent down by the side of the stream and washed his hands clean. The water was ice cold, and turned his fingers a bluish color, but he ignored the stinging and washed his arms and face. His body he would take care of at home. He didn't want to be walking around in the woods naked _and_ wet.

He took a few small sips from the stream and relished the way it wet his dry throat. He stood, watching as little flecks of the dried blood he had washed off of himself floated down with the tide, spreading out and contaminating the water. As much as he loved how his throat wasn't scratchy and raw anymore, he regretted having drank from the water.

Once he was walking again he noticed something was amiss with the consistency of his scent. There seemed to be something mixed in with it- something familiar. He frowned, sniffing at the air attentively to try and determine what the scent was. It didn't smell like an animal- at least not one he recognized. And it was familiar, so it had to be something...or some_one_ he knew...

Ichigo froze on the spot as suddenly it all came back to him. The surprise, the chase, the screaming...

_Rukia!_

Panic ran through him as he instantly looked down at the blood on his torso. Was some of it Rukia's? Had he killed her? Was she laying somewhere in the woods shredded and dead like that deer? Fear and guilt battled it out in his mind, his eyes widening in horror as he imagined all the things he could have done to her last night.

"Why did you have to follow me you fucking idiot?" Ichigo screamed into the air, setting off at a sprint to follow her scent. He needed to find her, even if she was dead. He had to see it for himself. He couldn't have killed her, he _couldn't_ have killed her...

Ichigo ran for a very long time, sweat starting to pour down his body as he brushed past trees and stepped over fallen branches and crumpled leaves. Once or twice a stick would stab into his bare feet, and he knew he was bleeding, but he didn't care. He needed to find Rukia.

As he ran he spotted something odd ahead. He slowed to a stop, panting as he looked down at what appeared to be shredded clothing. He frowned, leaning down to inspect it. Was it from Rukia? It looked like a coat, black and pretty thick. He picked up a piece and sniffed it, feeling slightly ridiculous because he looked like a dog, and his guess had been correct.

It was Rukia's coat. The one she had been wearing before he Changed. He searched through the shredded remains of her coat, looking for any possible sign of blood or injury. It looked clean, though slightly damp from the morning dew, and he was relieved. When she discarded this coat she had been fine. She might have tossed it at the beast to confuse it.

_That was a stupid idea,_ He thought.

As he scanned through the remains of her coat he found the part that was the pocket. It had a lump inside of it, and he reached inside to pull out a white flip phone, a little bunny key-chain dangling from the antennae. He flipped it open and saw that there were one hundred and seven missed calls and twenty-two unanswered texts.

"Everyone's worried about you, Rukia..." He whispered, feeling his chest tighten at the thought of having killed her. How could he live with himself? Rukia may be annoying and a brat, but she was a human being who doesn't deserve to be killed by the likes of him. He had no right to take her life away from her, and if he found her dead he would force himself to remember the image as punishment for his sins. She was loved; she had a future, a past, friends, family. And he may have taken it all away from her...

Ichigo closed the phone and gripped it in his hands as he stood to his full height before running through the woods again, following her scent.

–

Ichigo ran for what felt like hours, but when he checked Rukia's phone he saw he had only been running for twenty minutes. It was seven in the morning, the sun shining bright high above. The cold was starting to ease slightly as the sun blasted the woods with its brilliant rays, and Ichigo found he couldn't even feel the cold any longer.

He found the clearing Rukia had confronted him in, and noticed that his duffel bag was gone. He frowned when he stopped to inspect the area. He found the water bottle he had been drinking from laying on its side next to the tree he had leaned against, but the chicken he had dropped and his duffel bag were gone. Had the wolf come through and devoured them both? It would have smelled all the meat he had inside of the bag and ate the whole thing because it didn't understand the concept of opening it up and just taking the meat out.

Rukia's and his scent were intertwining as he left the clearing. The beast had chased her for quite a while, he figured. How she remained alive this long he didn't have a clue. She must have somehow outsmarted the wolf. He commended her on her obvious cleverness.

Ichigo ran for another half an hour- checking the phone again to check the time- and could smell Rukia's scent getting stronger. He was close.

He rounded a tree and slowed to catch his breath, walking instead of running. Sweat was running down his naked body, mixing with the blood and dirt along his torso and back. He wiped at his forehead, feeling with his cold fingers his hot head.

He sniffed at the air again and froze. There was another scent wafting in the air, faint but still there. It was blood. The coppery smell caught his attention and he focused solely on it, his heart hammering in fear. Was he about to walk in on Rukia's mangled corpse...?

He trudged on, albeit a bit more hesitantly, and followed the blood scent. He scanned the area, knowing it was just around the corner now. Rukia was near, _very_ near. He looked all around the terrain, frowning as he couldn't see much other than the desolate landscape of the forest.

_Where are you?_

There was a branch in his path, and he lifted his hand to simply brush it out of the way, completely unimportant in his search, but when he reached up to brush it aside, he noticed the point of the branch had a stain of red on it. He stopped, frowning deeply as he took a closer look at the red blotch.

It was blood. One sniff proved it. But it wasn't animal blood- Ichigo had enough on him to know the two were different. So it had to be human. And who was the only human Ichigo knew out in the woods at this godforsaken hour in this godforsaken weather?

"Rukia..." He said. He left the branch behind, walking with purpose in the direction where her scent led him.

Finally, after so long of walking, he found her. He held his breath when he spotted the form laying on the ground, awkwardly positioned with a large coat wrapped around her body. He expected to smell blood, to see pieces of her laying around in a wide circle covered in claw and teeth marks, a large pool of blood around the majority of what was left of her body. But none of this came to fruition.

Rukia was laying on top of Ichigo's duffel bag, her back slightly arched over as she lay sprawled out on the ground with his coat wrapped around her lithe shoulders. Her hair was matted to her forehead, most likely from having sweat so much in the chase the beast no doubt gave. She was dirty, her cheek cut with some dried blood running down the side of her face to her ear. Her lips were a purplish blue from the cold, and he could see her chest moving shallowly as she still breathed.

_She's alive..._ Ichigo wanted to weep in joy. He hadn't killed her...he hadn't killed her! She was still alive, laying on the ground with his duffel bag of clothes and water bottles. He could tell she had discarded the meat, seeing as the bag compressed under her body without much resistance. That must be how she escaped the werewolf.

"You're pretty smart after all..." He whispered. He keeled down next to her, unsure of what to do. Should he wake her? After what she had seen, would she scream and run away from him? Or would she try to kill him right then and there? He wouldn't blame her either way. He could only imagine the horrors she endured in the night.

"Rukia, wake up." He said, placing his hand on her cold cheek. She stirred slightly, and he blushed as she leaned into his touch. "Rukia, please wake up." He said again, pulling his hand away to shake her shoulder.

She moaned softly, her eyes fluttering open as she woke up. He watched as she looked around blearily, her mouth parting open slightly as she breathed- something Ichigo was so delighted to see. Her eyes squinted against the sun, those violet orbs doing circles in their sockets before they landed on him.

"What..." Her voice was raw and her tone was one of confusion. She coughed violently, and Ichigo helped her sit up to pat her back.

"It's alright," He soothed. "Just breathe."

Rukia shook her head, the fog around her pupils clearing as she began to register her surroundings. "What's going...where..." She turned to Ichigo, and suddenly her eyes went wide. "Oh my God!"

She jerked out of his arms and scrambled away from him, her eyes wide with terror. She kept scrambling away until her hand slipped out from under her and she fell back and hit her head on the ground. She groaned, holding her head as she lay there, exhausted and delirious.

"Rukia, calm down." He said, slightly dejected. He had expected this reaction, but actually seeing it made his heart clench in sorrow.

"I-Ichigo..." She coughed again, pushing herself up onto her elbows to stare at him. "Last night...w-what was...?"

"I told you to run," Ichigo said, interpreting what she was trying to say. "I ran away from you, told you to get away. You should have listened to me."

Rukia thought of all the times she had thought that very thing the night before. "W-what..._are_ you?" She whispered.

Ichigo looked away, sighing as he knew he couldn't lie or make an excuse. She had seen his terrible secret, and he at least owed her the complete truth. "I'm...ah...I'm a werewolf."

Saying it felt so ridiculous. But it was true. Ichigo was a _werewolf_. One of the cursed. He had been fighting that fact for so damn long that having to say it out loud made him realize just how big of a thing it was. When Senna showed up the reality of it came crashing down on him, but it hadn't really sunk in until just now when he was forced to say it out loud.

Thankfully though, Rukia didn't call him crazy. She knew he was right. She had _seen_ it firsthand. It had tried to kill her, had chased her through hell and creation. She had known what he was, but just needed him to confirm it to make sure _she_ wasn't crazy.

"Werewolf..." The word escaped her lips and Ichigo flinched as if it was an insult. "You're actually a werewolf?"

Ichigo nodded, not meeting her eyes. "Yes..."

Rukia scanned his face, and then her eyes went lower and widened as she saw the blood on his naked body. "Oh my God! I-Is that...blood?"

Ichigo looked down at himself, blushing as he covered his dignity with both of his hands. "It's just a deer. I had the unfortunate pleasantry of waking up spooning with it."

"You were _spooning_ with a dead deer?" Rukia balked.

"Not by choice," Ichigo defended, shivering. "Could I please have my duffel bag? I'm freezing."

Rukia blinked at him, and then looked down at the duffel bag under her. She unstrung it from her shoulder and threw it at him. He caught it and unzipped the bag, fishing around for one of his water bottles. He frowned, finding nothing but his clothes. "What happened to all my water?"

Rukia flushed. "I drank it..."

"_All_ of it?" He raised a brow.

"You're going to get angry at me for drinking your water when you spent the night trying to kill me?"

Ichigo frowned, looking away. "Good point..." He mumbled, pulling out a pair of jeans and turning from her to slip them on. Once they were buttoned and zipped up he pulled out a long sleeved red shirt and his spare coat and finished dressing.

Rukia watched him intently, frowning all the while. "Do...do you remember any of last night?" She asked, which caught him off guard.

He turned to her, now fully dressed in his warm, snug clothing, and frowned. "No," He shook his head. "I don't ever remember anything."

She nodded slowly. "So you have no say in what it does?"

"No," He said sternly. "It's not me. I'm not _it._ We're two separate entities."

"Really?" She blinked. "So...it really wasn't _you_ chasing me last night?

"No, it wasn't." He said. "I'm..._not_ a monster..." _At least not like _It. He added in his mind.

Rukia looked down at the ground for a moment, processing this. She then tried to push herself up more, grunting as all the energy in her body was gone. She moaned, feeling her head spin from just sitting up. "I can't really feel my legs..."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "D-Did you break them?"

Rukia shook her head. "No, I can _feel_ them, but they're numb and I can't move them very much." She said, trying to lift her knee only to have it flop back onto the ground. "I ran so much last night..."

Ichigo felt guilt swell inside of his chest. She was like this because of him... "Alright, come here."

Rukia looked up at him in confusion for a second before he walked towards her and scooped her up in his arms. She made a noise in the back of her throat in surprise and looked up at him, flustered. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?"

"The least I can do is carry you after...last night." He said, looking away guiltily.

Rukia stared into his face, then looked down at her near useless legs. As much as she felt uncomfortable being carried, she knew this was the only way. "Thank you...I guess."

Ichigo looked down at her, his brows raised in slight surprise. "Wow, _the_ Kuchiki Rukia thanking me?"

Rukia blushed, huffing and scowling at him. "Just shut up and walk, idiot."

Ichigo shrugged and did as told. Now that he was warmed up and he had Rukia he began to follow his scent back towards town. He had made this walk so many times he actually felt slightly soothed by it. The night was over, so he could relax knowing he had a whole month before the inevitable happened. Although it could happen at any time, he knew that at the very least the rest of this day he was safe. The wolf had its fun, and would rest inside of him until it was ready to be released once again.

_Hopefully Senna can help me keep it under control._ He thought as he walked. He would rest for the rest of the weekend, and then skip school on Monday to spend it with Senna. He was eager to learn how to maintain his human skin, and not be subjugated to the Change. If what she said was true, he wouldn't have to worry about it until the full moon, where he could prepare and just get it over with.

But even if he dealt with that issue once and for all, he still had one other thing to worry about now.

Rukia knew his secret.

Ichigo never knew his anxiety could rise to where it was now without it being a full on panic attack. Now that she knew, what would she do? Her initial reaction to seeing him was exactly what he expected: fear. But he had talked her down and was now carrying her home, so that was a plus right?

He glanced down at her, noticing how she had her arms curled over her chest and her head was resting in the crook of his arm. She was looking ahead of them, a faraway look in her eyes. Was she trying not to look at him?

"What's in your hand?" She asked suddenly.

Ichigo blinked. "What?"

Rukia frowned, shifting slightly in his arms. "I can feel something in your hand under me. What is it?"

He frowned at her words, feeling around with his fingers to find that there was something in his left fist. "Oh, right." He stopped walking to shuffle his arms around so that he could lift his hand to where she could see. "I found this in the woods, alongside your torn coat."

Rukia looked at her cell phone and her frown eased slightly. "Oh, thank you..." She whispered, taking the phone from his hand to let him place it back under her.

She began to scroll through her missed calls and texts while Ichigo continued to walk. They stayed in silence for a very long time, Ichigo carrying her through the woods while following his- and her scent back to his apartment. He still didn't understand how he hadn't notice her following him the day before. It was really strange...

Every so while he glanced down at Rukia, noticing the way she just looked ahead with that distant look in her eyes, her phone closed and clenched in her hand as she decided to ignore the plethora of calls and texts left by her worried friends. She was being cooperative now, but how will she act once they were back in civilization?

Ichigo was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the _Urahara Shoten_ until Rukia spoke up. "There's your apartment." She said.

Ichigo looked up, breathing out a long breath of relief. "Thank God..." He said. "I'm dying for a shower..."

"Preaching to the choir," Rukia sighed.

Ichigo walked towards the back door, knowing it will be unlocked. He never locked the door when he went out for a Change, because he left his keys up in his apartment for fear of losing them out in the woods. How would he explain a continuous loss of keys every month to Urahara?

He was getting ready to position himself to raise his arm from under Rukia and open the door, but before he could someone jumped out from the side of the building and yelled at him, "Freeze!"

Ichigo did just that. He stood there, shocked as he turned and found the lethal end of a pistol pointed directly at his head. Rukia craned her neck to see the person holding the gun, and her eyes widened as well.

"W-what's going on?" Ichigo stammered, staring at the gun and the person holding it.

The man pointing the gun had spiky purple hair and three long scars down his face over his right eye, a tattoo on his left cheek depicting the number 69. He wore a black suit with the collar unbuttoned and a white polo shirt underneath. He was lean, but muscled, glaring with dark gray eyes at Ichigo and Rukia.

"Kurosaki Ichigo?" The man said sternly, holding his gun steadily.

"Y-Yes...?" Ichigo was hesitant to answer.

"You're under arrest for the kidnapping of Kuchiki Rukia."

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><p><strong>I started this chapter off thinking it would end with Ichigo sending Rukia off to her home, worried about her reaction to his secret, but halfway through I started thinking, "Wait, this chick is the heiress to like a huge fortune and business. Wouldn't there be more panic if she disappeared for the night like this?" and I came up with the last bit! <strong>

**Next chapter will be quite interesting...**

**HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY MY DRUNKEN BASTARDS!**

**REVIEW!**


	16. Days Since Incident:        0

**I'm sorry this chapter took a little longer to come out! I was writing it and I kept not liking how it came out so I kept deleting and re-writing it. I'm still kind of iffy on how it came out, but trust me this is the best result I came up with ;_;**

**Something I want to address. If you haven't already noticed, I've changed the names of the chapters in this story. Before I had random quotes that kind of-sort of- not really pertained to the chapter. When I started that I thought I'd be all sexy and sophisticated with it but it just turned out stupid and I regret it. So I went back through the chapters and deleted the quotes and changed the chapter names! I hope you guys understand!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

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><p><em>Days since incident: 0<em>

Ichigo had a few times imagined how it would go should he ever be found on his walk back from the woods by the cops. He had imagined being pinned down by a squad of men in heavy black body armor, their guns pointed at his head as they all screamed at him to not move or else. He thought maybe he'd be found near a body he had killed during one of his Changes, be contained in a large cage as people observed him. He thought the reason he'd be handcuffed to a chair would be for a completely different reason than _this_.

_Out of all the things in the world I'd be arrested for..._kidnapping _was the last thing I'd imagine being the reason. _

Ichigo scowled as he gave a tug on the handcuffs tying him to the chair he sat in. Both of his hands were restrained, as were his feet. He sat in one of the interrogation rooms, alone and scared for what was about to happen to him.

He had been sitting there for quite a while, waiting for someone to come and tell him his fate. The officer who had captured him and Rukia- detective Shuuhei Hisagi- had forced him into a squad car and drove him here to the _Karakura _Police Station to shove him into this room and restrain him and leave him alone for God knows how long. Rukia had been picked up by medics to be treated, and Ichigo worried what she would tell them. Would she rat him out for what he was? The thought sent terrified shivers down his spine, the tips of his fingers cold from the anxiety swelling inside of him.

And even if she didn't tell, there was still the issue of his body. Underneath the slightly damp and wrinkled clothing he wore the blood of a deer still coated his torso and legs. He could feel it, all gooey and stinking. He could smell it deep in his nostrils, filling the room with the acrid scent and burning his eyes. How on earth would the police _not_ notice?

_I've got to get out of here,_ He thought. But how? He was strong, yes, but he definitely couldn't handle an entire police force. And even if he did manage to escape: where would he go? He had virtually no money, especially not on him, and he had no one who could help him avoid detection for the rest of his cursed life...

There was a whisper from the back of his mind, a mumble that tickled his psyche and knocked realization into him.

_Senna!_

Could she help him? She had been a werewolf for such a long time, she surely would understand his desire to disappear from _Karakura_ right? She said she lived in Tokyo, a huge city where it would be easy to merge with the crowd. Could she protect him?

The door to the interrogation room suddenly began to jangle, and Ichigo felt his breath hitch deep in his throat. He watched as the door opened and the detective that had booked him- Shuuhei- walked inside, a deep scowl on his scarred face.

"Kurosaki," He nodded at Ichigo, his eyes hard and analyzing. It made Ichigo shiver anxiously.

"Yes?" He tried to appear calm, confident- _innocent._

"You're free to go." Detective Shuuhei said, his tone professional but with an underlying fleck of bitterness.

For a brief moment Ichigo gaped incredulously at Shuuhei, thinking that his calm act had done the trick far beyond what he had expected. But then it occurred to him that that was ridiculous.

"I'm free?" He asked attentively. "Just like that? You've had me in here for hours just to let me go?"

"Kuchiki-san has explained everything," Detective Shuuhei said, though Ichigo could tell from the look he gave he was skeptical about said 'everything.'

"Oh, good." Ichigo said, trying to place up a mask of comprehension. What story? Rukia hadn't said anything? "Saves me the trouble," He added, though he felt it was a little too dramatic and regretted saying it instantly.

The detective sneered, but said nothing as he entered the room and undid the handcuffs restraining Ichigo to the chair. Ichigo stood, stretching his sore, aching muscles. He withheld the flinch that wanted to escape, trying to appear normal in front of this suspicious man. He walked towards the door, aiming to go home and finally have that shower he had been drooling about for the last few hours.

"Punk,"

Ichigo stopped just at the doorway and turned to Detective Shuuhei with a raised brow. "What?"

"Clean yourself up good, you smell like _shit._" The detective said.

Ichigo flustered, nodding and quickly leaving the room before the detective could decipher the origin of the scent.

–

Ichigo wasn't sure what would happen now. He wanted to go home, but as soon as he left the room and walked down the hall he was flanked by two cops and was escorted towards the main desk where he received his duffel bag- which had been searched- and was forced to sign a piece of paper. He wasn't sure what he was signing but if it meant he could go he'd put lipstick on and kiss it.

After that he was set free outside. He wasn't sure exactly what to do, even though he wanted to go home he knew there was one thing he still needed to address immediately:

Rukia.

She knew what he was, but hadn't told the cops. What did that mean? Was she still in shock and couldn't fathom it fully yet? Or had she decided to keep his secret? He really hoped she did decide to cover for him...but at the same time he felt guilty for letting her do so.

The guilt he felt earlier has only intensified as time went on. The more he thought about it, the more he pictured poor Rukia being chased by the beast- by _him_. He had seen how horrible a state she had been in, and it was all his fault.

_I need to apologize_, He thought.

But what kind of apology could he give? "I'm sorry I tried to kill you," didn't sound too comforting. Not to mention he most likely blew her grip on reality to bits by showing her the supernatural exists. How could he ever make it up to her?

_I can't,_ He concluded. But the very least he could do was show how sorry he was and how thankful he was that she has helped him out with the police. There was so much that could have gone wrong today. They could have questioned him about what he was doing out in the woods, and he knew saying he was hiking would make no sense in this weather. They could have kept him in the room long enough to realize there was a blood smell coming off of him and notice he had dried blood on his torso. Or, worst of all, they could have kept provoking him until he Changed...

Rukia has saved his ass, despite the fact he nearly ate hers. Where was she now? She had been taken to intensive care when he was captured, meaning she must be in the hospital now. He couldn't go see her, especially if he was still technically suspected of kidnapping her. Not to mention the fact she may not want to see him again...

The thought actually hurt. For the first time Ichigo actually wanted to see Rukia. He was eager to speak with her, to have her tell him what was on her mind. He _needed_ to know to calm his fiery nerves. The more he thought about what could happen now after last night the more he felt his anxiety rise. He needed to talk to Rukia, soon.

But he decided to wait. She was hurt, tired, hungry, and probably traumatized. Seeing her now might not be the best decision. It was Sunday, so he'd take the rest of the day to rest and tomorrow at school he'd talk to her- if she even showed up that is.

When Ichigo arrived home he found the backdoor still unlocked. He entered and walked up to his apartment, frowning deeply when he noticed a notice saying the police had come by for inspection. They hadn't gone into his apartment thankfully, but had come by to knock on his door. He tore away the notice and walked into his apartment, finding it just as he left it.

When he left his apartment yesterday he had been so unready for what would come. He almost felt like the person who left this place yesterday for the full moon was a completely different person than the current Kurosaki Ichigo. The earlier version had thought everything would go smoothly, that he'd just walk out into the woods and Change and wake up and come home and relax. But instead now he was coming home more tense than he had ever been in a long time.

He tossed his duffel bag onto the bed and stripped off his disgusting, sweaty clothing. He threw the clothes into the trash by his desk, not wanting to keep anything of this horrible experience. He started the shower and stepped under the hot spray, sighing in relief as the grime and muck and deer blood washed away into the drain. He scrubbed furiously with soap, using his nails to clean off the congealed blood and dirt off his body. It felt so refreshing to clean his body...if only he could do the same to his mind and soul.

He stepped out of the shower and brushed his teeth so hard his gums bled. He made sure to do the works- floss, mouthwash, Q-tip, deodorant, finger and toenail clipping- all things to help clean away the sins he has committed within the last twenty-four hours. But no matter how groomed or clean he was he still felt dirty. He could still feel the blood on his torso, the grime and sweat on his face and back...the feel of Rukia's body in his arms...

Once he was dressed he laid down on his bed and sighed softly as he relaxed his sore muscles into the soft fabric of his mattress. His apartment was steaming up slightly from how hot he had the shower, and it comforted him to inhale the mist that coated his living area. He closed his eyes, trying to relax and maybe take a year-long nap to help calm his nerves.

Just as he was about to fall into a blissful slumber, there was a knock on his door. He flinched into awareness and groaned as the knocking echoed in his ears and jostled his brain. His senses were still hyper from the Change, so most things were more enhanced than usual, and really he hadn't been bothered by it until that damn knocking.

He remained silent, laying in his bed staring at the ceiling as the knocking continued. It went _knock-knock-_knock...pause..._knock-knock-knock_...pause..._knock-knock-kno-_

"Go away! I'm sleeping!" Ichigo bellowed as he felt his frustration building. It was Sunday, so who the hell would be bothering him at a time like this?

"Ichigo?"

His eyes widened as he recognized the voice. He pushed himself up from his comfortable bed and walked to his door, unlocking and opening it slowly to find Senna standing there on the other side, her purple hair in its usual tail and her glowing eyes staring up at him.

"Senna? What are you doing here?" Ichigo blinked in confusion. "I thought you weren't going to come until tomorrow?"

Senna shrugged. "I thought I'd come by and see how last night went for you." She said, sizing him up. "At least you aren't dead, I see."

_I might as well be,_ He thought grumpily. "Yeah well...my body doesn't reflect my feelings." He said.

She raised a brow at him. "What does that mean?"

Ichigo let her inside, closing the door behind her and sitting down on his bed to tell her everything that happened with Rukia and his Change. He felt she was the only person he could talk to who would understand, and he desperately needed a second opinion on the situation. He told her how Rukia followed him out into the woods, how he tried to run but couldn't get away far enough before It happened. How he chased Rukia all through the woods and how when he found her the next morning she was badly beaten up and tired.

"You didn't bite or scratch her, right?" Senna asked, her eyes wide with shock at what has happened to him. "You didn't..._turn_ her did you?"

Ichigo shook his head. "No, thank God. She was just beat up from running all night. The only scratch she had was on her cheek, and that was from a branch and not me."

She blew out a relieved breath. "Good, good...it wouldn't be very good if you gave her the infection."

He snorted. "You're telling me?" He said. "I don't know what I'd do if I turned her."

She nodded. "So she's fine now? Where is she now?"

"Hospital," Ichigo said. "When I came home...the cops were waiting for me."

Senna's eyes widened again, her body standing rigid at the word 'cops.' "The_ police_ were waiting for you? Why? What happened?"

"Calm down," He said. "Someone thought I kidnapped Rukia since she didn't come home last night. I was held in a room for a few hours before they let me go."

"Just like that?" She asked. "Did they ask you questions? What did you tell them?"

"They didn't ask me anything," Ichigo explained, staring down at his interlocked fingers in his lap. "Apparently Rukia told them 'everything' and they let me go."

"What did she tell them?" She asked.

He shook his head. "I'm not sure...they just came in and told me she told them everything and I was free to go."

Senna sighed. "Thank God...she apparently understands it wasn't you chasing her last night."

"I guess..." Ichigo whispered, staring at his hands still as he tried to piece together his thoughts. "I need to talk to her though. I want to know what she told them, why she didn't tell them the truth...even if she understands it wasn't me why wouldn't she rat me out for what I am? She can't possibly just brush what happened off like it was nothing. I need to talk to her."

"Then why don't we go find her now?" Senna asked. "It's pretty important to know what she's thinking before she does anything to hurt you. We should go talk to her and make sure she won't tell anyone the truth." She said.

Ichigo turned to Senna, scowling deeply. "What are you implying? That we _silence_ her if she tries anything?"

She shook her head. "No...just saying we need to make sure she isn't going to tell anyone. This isn't just about you, Ichigo. We can't have her telling people werewolves exist. It could cause panic, riots, and we'd all be hunted down. We can't let her spread the word of what has happened."

"Senna, she isn't going to tell anyone, I'm sure." Ichigo said. "If she was she would have already instead of getting me out of the cop's clutches. Instead of letting me fall she saved my ass, so I'm sure we're safe."

"But how sure _are_ you?" Senna asked, her eyes hardening. "This is really serious. We can't risk this."

Ichigo was shocked. He had never seen Senna like this. She was always such a bubbly girl, so energetic and excited over the littlest things. How could that same girl be here in front of him saying these things?

"Senna," Ichigo said sternly, locking gazes with her so she would listen to him. "Rukia won't tell anyone. We aren't going to do anything drastic, got it?"

Senna frowned at him, staring into his determined eyes for a moment in search of any flicker of doubt. But when she found none she sighed and nodded.

"Alright...I'll stay out of it." She said. "But please talk to her soon...don't let this get out of hand."

Ichigo nodded. "I promise." He said.

"Good," She said, standing from his bed. "I'll let you rest now. We've both had a long night. Tomorrow after school I want to know what she says though, so please remember to talk to her."

"Don't worry," He said. "I've got this."

Senna turned to him, smiling lightly. "I know you do," She said, leaning in to kiss his cheek. He blushed, staring at her in shock as she pulled back and giggled. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ichigo."

She quickly left, leaving Ichigo to blush and hold his cheek in astonishment.

_What was that?_

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><p><strong>MUHAHAHA! The part you guys have been dreading is starting to arise! The IchiSenn! Lol, but don't worry it won't be too bad. All the while IchiRuki will be happening as well. I know I've taken forever to start that up, but trust me from here on out it will commence!<strong>

**Again, I'm sorry for taking a while to get this chapter out and how short it is...but I've had a lot going on and I'm currently writing a new one-shot for my friend _pamianime_ which I'm trying to focus on because I feel really good about it. It's currently fifteen pages- don't you wish this chapter was that long rather than just six pages?- and I'm actually not that close to being done ;_; It's going to take a little while, because I'm doing a lot with it. It could actually be a two-shot!**

**Also, for those of you who haven't already, please go to my profile and check out the bottom where the DeviantART link is. I posted something very important for you all to read and It'd really make me happy if you did. **

**So...until next time...**

**REVIEW!**


	17. Days Since Incident:     1

**Hello again! Here is yet another chapter of what is obviously your favorite story of all time! **

**I had actually completed this chapter last night, but withheld it a little bit to let my new one-shot I posted last night get some glory. I posted like three new one-shots this past week and I'm so proud of myself! I'm such a dutiful little man aren't I?**

**Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

* * *

><p><em>Days since incident: 1<em>

Just as Ichigo expected, Rukia wasn't in school on Monday. To be honest he was surprised he even went himself. But he had to see if she'd show up, and if she did he'd talk to her and figure out what's going on in her head. She helped him, so that was a good thing. But he still needed to make sure she was alright.

The way Senna acted yesterday scared him, because now he's thinking maybe there's another side to her he didn't know of before. The way she said they might have to take care of Rukia...he spent the whole day thinking about it. The teacher droned on and on about this and that, the students in his class scribbling down notes in preparation of the test that was coming up within the next month, and Ichigo just sat in his seat staring out the window, his mind a jumble of thoughts.

It almost felt unjust for everyone to be acting so..._normal. _This terrible thing just happened to him, and no one seems effected by it. So much negative has happened to him in his life the past two years, and the fact that it seems like everything is at its bleakest and most horrible makes it seem like there should at least be a somber mood around the world.

But, he told himself, that is an impossible. How could everyone be effected by his short comings when they are, in fact, _his_ short comings? And it wasn't like he could tell anyone, so he had no one to share his dark attitude with. Everyone moved on with the day like normal, because to them today was normal. Nothing out of order, everything is perfect and in place and the world is black and white. But what they don't know is that the world is not just black and white, there's a good space of gray in there, and now there was an extra person in the world whose mind has been shattered by the realization of this.

_I've royally fucked up._

His sourness lasted all the way to the end of the school day. When he left it was with a deep scowl, his school bag tossed lazily over his shoulder as he began the trek back to his apartment. He had work in a little while, so he was confused about how Senna planned to come around and teach him more about what he wanted to know. Would she be there now, waiting for him? He hoped not, to be honest. Partly because he had a million questions that needed to be answered, and the short time between arriving home and having to go into work was too short. And the other part...he was afraid of seeing her again after last night.

The look in her eye...it made him shiver. He saw another side of her that he really hoped didn't truly exist. She was supposed to be this sweet, innocent, eccentric girl who was his first real friend in two years. When he discovered she was like him it was a setback, but she still was that same girl at least. He didn't want to think there was a darker, more sinister side to the bubbly purple haired girl he had come to call friend. And then...there was that kiss.

Ichigo blushed at the thought of it. What had that been about? One moment she was all dark and threatening and the next...she was kissing his cheek. Was she bi-polar? Did being a werewolf for a long time do such a thing to you? And why did she do it? Did she...like him?

He had never thought about Senna in such a way. Did she think of him like that? As a...boyfriend? Could he imagine her as a girlfriend? He hadn't even thought about anything romance-related since he was turned. Though to be honest he had never really been the kind of guy to gush over a girl, before or after being infected. But now that he was thinking about it...Senna was very cute, pretty even. And she was probably the only person in the world who could understand him. It would only make sense if they got together...right?

He shook his head. What was he thinking? Of course she couldn't think of him like that. He was a mess. Who could like someone like him the way he was now?

_But isn't that why I'm getting Senna's help? To not be like this anymore?_

It was true. He wanted to be more than just this. He didn't want to live his days afraid of what he was. He wanted to be the master of his own body again. He wanted to feel like his head was screwed on correctly, like every function of his mind and soul was of his own free will. Not like now, where everything was driven by _It_. The infection, the _werewolf._ He was Kurosaki Ichigo, not the werewolf. He would teach it that it inhabited _his_ body, and would be let out whenever _he_ wanted and not the other way around. He would prove he was more than this, and it would be with Senna's help.

Maybe after...just maybe he'd become the kind of person Senna would like.

When he arrived at the _Urahara Shoten_ he was surprised to see a strange car parked out front. It was a relatively new Honda Civic, white with clean windows and fully pumped tires. It sat in front of the little candy store, abandoned and slightly ominous. Ichigo scowled at it as he neared. Whose car was this? He had never seen it before, and he knew damn well Urahara couldn't afford a new car like this.

Could it...be Rukia's?

The prospect of Rukia being here now gave Ichigo a jolt of energy, but also a jolt of fear. He had wanted to talk to her, yes, but at the same time he knew the talk wouldn't be comfortable. He would have to explain more about himself to her, about his life and his...curse. She knew what he was, but that was all she knew. She didn't know the full extent of his affliction, and he knew he would have to tell her all of it.

He breathed a breath of resignation, knowing that standing out here anxiously wouldn't solve anything. It was something he had to do, so why skirt around it? He squared his shoulders, letting his school bag dangle from his clenched fist at his side as he walked up behind the shop to the door leading to his apartment.

He rounded the building, knowing Rukia has to be at the back door since it was still locked. He expected to see her small form behind the building, waiting impatiently for him with her arms crossed and her foot tapping, but when he came around to the back of the building he came face to face with not Rukia...

...but his father, Isshin Kurosaki.

"D-Dad?" Ichigo gasped, gaping at his father.

Isshin turned to his son, leaning against the door leading to Ichigo's apartment wearing a white long sleeved polo shirt with the collar flipped up and dark dress pants, puffing out a stream of smoke as he held a cigarette between his fingers.

The smell of the nicotine hit Ichigo like a brick. It shot right up his nose and burned the back of his eyeballs. He coughed, covering his nose and mouth in shock at the intensity of the scent.

"Oh damn, I wanted to finish this before you showed up." Isshin said, frowning as he flicked the cigarette towards the woods, letting it die away in the wind and disappear within the grass. "I didn't want you catching me smoking."

"I thought you quit, old man." Ichigo said, waving at the air to rid it of the nicotine smell.

"Every once and a while it's nice to have a stick with you," Isshin shrugged. "Now that that's out of the way..."

Ichigo was confused as Isshin pushed off the door and took a few steps towards him, all the while looking stoically at him as he mulled something obviously important in his mind. Ichigo was about to ask what it was, when suddenly Isshin lunged and headbutted him, knocking him off his feet and onto the ground with a yell of surprise.

"What the hell you old bastard?" Ichigo bellowed, holding his forehead as it throbbed painfully. "Why did you headbutt me?"

"Because!" Isshin yelled back, pointing an accusing finger at his son. "It's been _months_ since we've seen or heard from you! No calls, no visits, no letters, no grandbabies! Damn you, ungrateful spawn of my loins! You've had your poor sisters worried about you!"

"It's not my fault!" Ichigo protested as he stood, flustered. "I'm busy, alright?" He said, glaring at his father.

Isshin glared back, placing his hands on his hips. "You're 'busy'? What's more important than your own family, boy?"

Ichigo flopped around for an answer, but nothing really came to mind. He obviously couldn't say the truth and tell his father the reason he doesn't come around is because he's afraid of hurting them, so he decided to ignore the question and change the subject. "Why are you here, old man? Are you here to remind me of what a terrible son I am?"

"Yes," Isshin said. "But also I have another reason. The cops were snooping around my house the other day, and they said you were suspected in a kidnapping. Is this true?"

Ichigo yet again flustered, but this time in embarrassment. "Kind of...it was a misunderstanding."

Isshin raised a brow. "What kind of misunderstanding?"

Ichigo frowned. "It was just a misunderstanding, does it matter the specific details? I'm not in trouble." He said.

"It _does_ matter," Isshin said. "My son was being sought by the police. I am not just going to turn my head and let it be. What happened?"

Ichigo gave a gruff sigh. "Fine...I'll tell you. Come inside."

Isshin nodded, following his son once he unlocked the door and walked up the steps to his apartment. Ichigo felt slightly embarrassed as he entered his apartment, closing the door behind his father. His apartment was kind of messy, his desk littered with old school work and his bed not made and articles of clothing on the floor. He used to be so neat when he lived at home with his family, so for his father to see him like this was really shameful. He could see the look on his father's face when they entered, and it made Ichigo sad.

"You've really kept up the place," Isshin remarked, looking around. "You throw a wild party in here?" He winked.

Ichigo scowled. "Shut it, old man." He hissed. "The snide remarks aren't funny."

Isshin laughed, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "You're so bitter towards me, what did I do to deserve such treatment?"

Ichigo grunted. "I'm just not in a good mood." He said, sitting down on his bed.

"Something to do with the whole kidnapping misunderstanding?" Isshin raised a brow.

Ichigo nodded. "Pretty much..." He said lightly. The police situation was really only part of it, but he couldn't tell his father that.

"What happened?" Isshin asked again. "They told me you were suspected of kidnapping Kuchiki Byakuya's little sister."

"Well I didn't," Ichigo snorted. "She's missing for a few hours and everyone's got a stick up their ass."

"So why did they think you did?"

"Well..." Ichigo paused. What could he say? He didn't know what Rukia said, so he couldn't repeat that story. Could he say they were just out hiking? No, Rukia would have told everyone she was going hiking with him. So what then? What had Rukia come up with that fooled the police?

"Well?" Isshin prompted, and Ichigo felt like he was beginning to sweat. He had to think of something quick, otherwise it might seem like he was hiding something. Which he was, but he didn't want his father knowing that.

"We..." He fought as hard as he could to think of something- _anything._ "We...were having sex."

The air seemed to still as the words left Ichigo's lips before he could stop them. He had to read back what he had just said because there was no way he had actually just said that. He blushed a deep crimson when he realized he had said it, and now his father was staring at him with wide, shocked eyes. Why had he said that? Why would he automatically go right to _that_ of all things?

"You were...having sex with Kuchiki Rukia in the woods?" Isshin stared at him incredulously.

Ichigo slowly nodded. It was already out there, so he had no choice but to stick with it.

Isshin was silent for a few seconds, closing his eyes to suck in a deep breath before letting loose.

"MY WONDERFUL BOY IS FINALLY A MAN!"

"Pervert!"

Ichigo slammed his father in the face with a hard fist, knocking him back against the door with a loud thud. He growled, glaring at his groaning father as he laid on the floor. "Why can't you be a normal father and scold me for how irresponsible I was being?"

"I can live with you being irresponsible if it ends with grandbabies!" Isshin cheered on the floor.

Ichigo kicked his father in the side in frustration. "You're a horrible parent,"

"If I was a horrible parent you'd be in jail," Isshin said, pushing himself up as he held his side. "If I was a horrible parent you'd not know how to hold down this job you've had for two years now."

"I'm rejecting everything you just said and maintaining that you're a bad parent," Ichigo said.

Isshin straightened himself out, fixing his shirt and rubbing his sore face. "Do as you may, my boy, but remember that I came over to make sure you were alright. And to remind you that you need to come over more often to visit your sisters and your dear old pops."

Ichigo grunted, sitting back down on his bed to avert his eyes. "Well...I'm fine. And I'll try, okay?" He said, feeling bad again. So much has been going on lately he didn't want to have to think about the fact his family misses him, or about how he misses them even more.

"Well, try harder." Isshin said. "Now, before I go, I want to have a talk with you about something important."

Ichigo raised a brow, turning back to look at his father curiously. "What's that?"

Isshin stood straight, his face taking on a mask of seriousness. Ichigo didn't like seeing his father like this, because usually it meant something either bad has happened and he's steeling himself for it or he was preparing for an argument. "I'm sure you noticed the new car out front, right?"

Ichigo blinked in confusion, having forgotten all about the pristine white Honda parked out front. He had thought it was Rukia's, and when he saw his father instead his mind had completely shoved the car out of the lineup for thoughts. "Yeah? I was meaning to ask...how did you afford a new car like that?"

"Well, ironically enough," Isshin said, grinning. "Kuchiki Enterprises has donated a hefty amount of money to our clinic, and now that we've got such high tech equipment business has been booming."

Ichigo was surprised. Rukia's brother donated money to the Kurosaki Clinic? "Why did they do that?"

Isshin shrugged. "A few years ago I helped Byakuya out after he was attacked by an ex-employee. My clinic was the closest medical care facility and his people brought him in unconscious and pretty badly beaten. I fixed him up and apparently he didn't forget about it."

Ichigo frowned. "What? I don't remember that at all."

"You were fairly young," Isshin explained. "It was before...your mother..."

Ichigo felt his heart stricken by sorrow at the mention of his mother. A flash of memory invaded his mind, and he was briefly brought back to that night two years ago in the woods under the light of the full moon. He looked away from his father, trying hard to not let the tears escape.

"Anyway," Isshin continued, noticing the way his son averted his gaze sadly. "Now that I've been getting so much business I've got a lot more money than I really need. All the bills are taken care of, and I treated myself with that car, and I still have leftover money."

"You come here to brag?" Ichigo quipped dryly.

"No," Isshin shook his head. "I came here to tell you I'm going to start sending you money from now on."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "W-What? Why would you do that?"

"Because you've been working so hard for these past two years and I can tell it's taken a toll on you." Isshin took one quick glance around the messy apartment. "Your life is nothing but school and work now, and I don't think that's fair."

_I wish that was all my life was..._ Ichigo thought, frowning. "I can't accept this, Dad. I can't just take your money."

"Yes, you can." Isshin said. "You deserve to be able to afford days off. I've already called Urahara about it and he has agreed to allow you Thursday and Friday off to be a teenager."

Ichigo's eyes widened further. "What? No, no! I can't do that! I can't just leech off the two of you like this!"

"It's not leeching if I'm forcing you to do it," Isshin said. "Now shut up and let your father help you out. Maybe soon you can afford to move out of this crummy apartment."

Ichigo stared at his father. Was he joking with this? Was he really going to send him money? "Dad..."

Isshin raised a hand to stop him from talking any further. "Starting next Monday you will be receiving checks from me and you will not say a word about it other than 'thanks.'"

"I..." Ichigo said weakly, then sighed. "Thanks...Dad." He smiled at his father.

Isshin returned the smile. "Your welcome," He said. "But, I do ask in return that you use some of that extra time to see your family once in a while."

Ichigo nodded. "I will. I promise."

"Good," Isshin said. "I have to go back to work. So I'll see you soon,"

Ichigo stood, walking with his father to the door, opening it for him and letting him step outside before he turned and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, and one more thing..."

"Yeah?" Ichigo quirked a brow.

"When you and Rukia-chan get married, can you name your first son after me?"

Ichigo kicked his father down the stairs.

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><p><strong>Would you believe I had not planned on Isshin popping up? I was writing the scene where Ichigo was walking home and I was all "Alright, Senna's gonna be there and start shit out" but as I was writing I suddenly had the idea of Isshin being there instead. And then as I was writing out the whole scene I was just like "Woah! New idea!" and now Isshin is sending Ichigo money!<strong>

**I should probably plan this stuff out more intimately...**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I've been given new inspiration thanks to the recent Being Human (U.S) episode with the Eclipse! Ooooooh myyyy Goooood that was epic! Josh started transforming in the middle of the day and is like epically running away from Julia and she gets hit by a car and dies and he's all "NEEEEERRRRRR -Transforms-" SO AWESOME!**

**Anyway...**

**Until next time!**

**REVIEW!**


	18. Days Since Incident: 2

**First off, let me say how terribly sorry I am for how short this chapter is. I was having trouble writing it because the way I had originally planned on it going was a little...iffy. I was writing it out, and didn't like it so I deleted it and tried again and the same happened. So last night I suddenly had this idea and now here it is!**

**Hope you like it, despite its super shortness...**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

* * *

><p><em>Days since incident: 2<em>

Senna didn't show up before Ichigo had to go to work. He half expected for her to pop up once his father was gone, but when the clock showed it was time to head downstairs to man the shop she was nowhere to be found within the facility of the _Urahara Shoten. _

This was fine with Ichigo, because it meant she would show up after work and he'd have a while to question her about how to control his affliction.

All through work Ichigo kept an anxious eye on the clock, counting the seconds until closing time when Senna would surely show up and he could begin his journey to obtaining a caricature of balance in his life- because even if it wasn't an absolute fix to his issues, it was still something, right?

Urahara confirmed that Ichigo now had Thursdays and Fridays off from work like his father said, and that Urahara has started looking for a replacement to fill the void of Ichigo's role for those two days because Chad couldn't handle it all alone. Ichigo said he'd still work those days, but Urahara waved him off and said that he deserved them off. Two years of non-stop work was not how a seventeen-year-old should live.

Ichigo was reluctant to accept this new schedule, but he was grateful none-the-less. He bowed to Urahara and thanked him from the bottom of his heart, to which the old shop keeper replied: "Don't thank me, really. I'm just happy to help. But you better keep your end of the bargain and see more of your family, Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo had nodded, going back to work and glancing at the clock every few seconds. He made light conversation with Chad, who was tired from a night's worth of band practice, and swept up the shop as a scant number of customers came through buying candy and magazines for their trip home from school slash work. Ichigo didn't see a trace of Senna the whole time he worked, and when quitting time came around he was hoping she would be around soon.

He sat in his apartment for some time, waiting for her to come knocking on his door to begin his 'training.' He did most of his homework while he waited, watched a little TV while eating a bowl of ramen, and even took a shower out of boredom. By the time 11 came around Ichigo was getting tired and very impatient. Where was she? Had she forgotten about him? She had promised to come today, and the day was over.

_I've been stood up!_ He thought sourly as he sat at his desk with a deep scowl, glaring down at his incomplete homework. He couldn't finish it because his mind was too preoccupied with Senna's not keeping her promise. With a growl he slapped his hand over the papers and crawled into bed, rolling around in aggravation as he planned a few choice words for the next time he saw the purple haired woman.

It wasn't long before he was starting to drift off into a frustrated sleep, his scowl slowly relaxing into a calm expression as he sighed and eased into the sheets and closed his eyes. He was inches from being fully asleep when suddenly there was a knocking on his door, which made him jerk free of his peaceful stupor. He groaned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up on his bed as the knocking continued.

"I'm coming!" Ichigo called, standing and walking over to the door. He unlocked and opened it, finding, with surprise, Senna standing on the other side with a wide smile on her face. "Senna?"

"Hello, Ichigo!" Senna chirped.

Ichigo scowled, narrowing his eyes at her tiredly. "Why are you coming so late?"

She shrugged, still grinning like an idiot at him. "Sorry, but I had to take care of a few things before I came by. Took longer than I thought it would." She said.

"What things were you taking care of?" He inquired, raising a brow.

Her grin turned more sly, and she shook her head. "Get ready, because I'm about to show you."

–

Once Ichigo changed out of his sleeping clothes and into a black sweater and jeans Senna led him away from the _Urahara Shoten_ into the streets of _Karakura._ He didn't bother questioning her where they were going, because he knew that any and all questions now would be ignored until they reached whatever destination Senna had in mind. She was humming to herself as they walked through the dark, desolate streets, her hands clasped together behind her back. She didn't make any attempt at conversation, and neither did he. Ichigo was content to just remain quiet until they reached wherever they were going.

Though when they did reach where they were going, he was not holding back.

They walked down a few blocks away from the _Urahara Shoten_, Senna seemingly confident in where they were going. Ichigo frowned as he felt something tickle in the back of his mind that this route was familiar somehow. Though he could easily explain this away because Ichigo has lived in _Karakura_ all his life and has memorized most of the town by now. But there was something more recent about this path in his memory, and as they continued walking Ichigo couldn't help but break the silence.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

Senna glanced at him, then turned back to staring down the street with a pleasant smile on her face. "You'll see."

Ichigo scowled. "Can't you just tell me? Why do you have to be all secretive?"

She chuckled at him. "Because where's the fun in just spilling the beans like that? I like to surprise people." She said, winking at him.

He blinked in confusion at her words. She liked to surprise people? What did that mean? He was going to be surprised by where they were going?

He didn't have much time to dwell on the thought though as she stopped and turned towards a building, smiling at him mischievously. "We're here."

Ichigo looked up at the building, and his jaw nearly unhinged.

He was certainly surprised.

"The dance club?" He looked up at the familiar building where he had gone to with Rukia and Renji last week. It was dark inside, the street empty of all the cars that had been parked outside of it the last time he had been here, the doors locked and the area quiet. It was a sharp contrast to when he was here last, when the music was pumping so loud it nearly deafened him and the hordes of people could have trampled him should he stand in place in the midst of it and the lights were flashing so rapidly he could have had a seizure in seconds. "_This _is where we're going to do this?"

Senna nodded. "Yup! I figured a place where you've had an incident was a great place to face your fears and learn to control your transformation."

Ichigo looked down at her, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Wait...how did you know this is where I had an incident?" He asked her suspiciously.

Senna waved her hand in the air. "Not important," She said dismissively. "What took me so long to pick you up was I was inspecting the place and found a great place for you to transform in when you need it."

Ichigo's eyes widened in shock. "W-What? You found a place for me to Change?"

She nodded. "Yup. Now follow me my strawberry sidekick."

She walked around the side of the building, walking into the alleyway Ichigo had started his Change in during the fight with those men. He thought back on the time, and regretted having gone to the party in the first place. If he hadn't he wouldn't have transformed, and Rukia wouldn't have been put into the position she was in now. If she hadn't seen his transformation begin like she did, she wouldn't have been so interested in him that she followed him out into the woods on the full moon...

Ichigo tried to push it out of his mind. Rukia was alive and safe, that's all that mattered. She might be traumatized and never want to see him again for the rest of her life, but at least she was alive.

Senna walked up to the side door and grabbed the handle, turning it and pushing it open without any effort. He blinked in surprise at this. "It isn't locked?"

She shook her head. "I left it unlocked for when we came back." She said, stepping inside.

Ichigo followed, frowning as they stepped into complete darkness. He tried to look around, but couldn't see much other than his own hand in front of his face. He turned to Senna, ready to ask her what they were supposed to do in the dark when suddenly she flashed a light in his face to nearly make him jump out of his skin.

"Jeez! Don't shine that in my face!" He barked.

Senna laughed loudly. "Oh don't be such a scaredy pants. What could be lurking in the dark that's worse than us?"

Ichigo growled at her as she swung her newly obtained flashlight in the air, lighting the way as she skipped ahead, pleased with having irritated the orange haired teenager for the night.

"Where did you get the light?" He asked, trying his best to calm down from the fright he just received.

He could just barely see the shrug she gave as he followed after he across the dance floor. "I left it inside by the door before I went to go grab you."

He raised a brow at her. "You've come prepared for this, huh?"

She hummed in acknowledgment. "Of course I have. I wouldn't come into this whole thing blind." She said, flashing her light on a door in the back of the auditorium. She walked up to it, turning the handle and pushing it open to reveal a set of stairs leading downward into what appeared to be a storage basement. Ichigo looked over her shoulder down at the stairs, frowning in curiosity as to what could be down there that would hold him in during his transformation.

"Come on," She said softly, glancing back at him before descending the stairway. Ichigo followed closely behind, unsure of what he'll find.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Senna reached out and flipped a switch on the wall. A string of overhead lights flashed on, lighting up the whole storage area to reveal a few boxes and an old karaoke machine that was coated in dust. The walls were made of pure stone, dusty and slightly cracking from years of abusive existence from the loud music vibrating the walls down here.

But what was the most interesting was the cage set far into the back of the basement.

It was chain-link, wide and reaching from ceiling to floor with a door with a chain locking it. Inside was a few stereo speakers, a microphone system and the dismembered platform for a DJ booth.

"In that cage?" He asked curiously, looking at Senna as she turned off her flashlight and smiled at him with a nod.

"When winter comes around it's too dangerous to be transforming out in the woods. You could freeze to death in the morning after. So, during these cold blue months, this will be the wolf's home."

Ichigo turned back to the cage, frowning deeply as he contemplated this deeply. "But isn't it too dangerous? What if there's a party going on upstairs during the full moon? This place doesn't close until early in the morning."

She nodded. "Exactly. When there's a party upstairs they lock the door from the outside with a key so no one can come down here. And the owners barely come down here ever either, so you're safe from anyone wandering down to see you. Plus, when there's a party going on, no one can hear you over the music and the dancing." She explained.

Ichigo's eyes widened in pleasant surprise at this. He had never thought of such a thing in his life, and now that he was mulling it over it was perfect. "Wow, that's amazing!" He said. "But...why only the winter months? Why don't I just transform here every time?"

"No," She said immediately, sternly. "You can't keep the beast locked up forever. If you do that it'll become much harder to contain it. You need to run free, Ichigo. A wolf is a free spirit, and if you cage it up for too long it gets angry and feral. It'll drive you insane. So only the winter months, and that's pushing it as it is."

He frowned at this, staring at the cage. "Free spirit..." He repeated. Lucky for the creature to be so free, because Ichigo felt like he was in a cage every day of his life.

"We can clean it up a bit next time," Senna said, placing her hands on her hips. "I just wanted to show you this now so you can get an idea of what we're going to be doing. When we start practicing we'll do it here where we can be sure you'll be safe."

He looked at her, his brow furrowed. "Practicing what?" He inquired.

"How to stop the Change, of course." She grinned at him. "I'm going to start training you in how to stop the transformation once it starts."

* * *

><p><strong>Again, I'm mad sorry about how short this was. But I felt it was fine as it is, and for the next chapter I have some things planned- such as interrogations between Ichigo and Senna and maybe...just maybe...some IchiSenn! -Dodges ax thrown at my head-<strong>

**Now that was juts uncalled for...**

**Oh, before I go I wanted to tell you guys something. Y'all need to go to my profile and look at the links I have there under 'Brief Description.' I posted a link to what the Werewolf Transformation looks like to help you guys get more of a visual when reading this story. I posted a basic transformation, and my most favorite one of all time XD! So go check out the videos, and you can see just how horrible being a Werewolf is!**

**REVIEW!**


	19. Days Since Incident:   2

**Sorry for the long wait! I got so obsessed with all my new one-shots and with _Potentia De Mens_ that I neglected this story! I'm sorry! But, hopefully this chapter can make up for it!**

**I know the last chapter was really short, and I apologize for that. This chapter was much longer, and I'm sure you will like it. It might be hard to swallow at first, but trust me...keep reading.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

* * *

><p><em>Days since incident: 2<em>

"I once met a werewolf," Senna began, a faraway look in her eyes as she spoke. "She was a doctor. She had been turned ten years prior to our meeting, and had used her medical know-how to study herself. She did CAT scans, EKG's, took blood samples, all that stuff. She found that our affliction had a scientific edge to it."

"How so?" Ichigo asked.

"She said that the transformation is activated by a mutation of our DNA. There's a chemical inside of our brain, something no one else has. Whenever the full moon hits the sky the mutated DNA is activated and spreads the chemical throughout our body, transforming us. She was uncertain though if it was set on some sort of biological clock or if there was anything related with the moon's radiation."

"Radiation?" Ichigo echoed.

Senna nodded. "The moon emits radiation onto the Earth. Most of it is taken care of by the atmosphere, but there's still some that comes down on us. It's the force behind the tides of the ocean, what calms the animals in the forest, and, on occasions, drives people mad. Haven't you ever wondered why it's called _luna_tic?"

Ichigo mulled this over for a moment, then shrugged. "I guess...it makes sense." He said. "But then...why can we Change outside of the full moon?"

"The doctor said that her theory was whenever our emotions were out of check we'd basically activate a very sensitive Fight or Flight response that comes along with being a werewolf. When this happens our body does what it can to protect itself, thinking its in danger, and activates the transformation." She explained. "I personally think the reason it's like that is from the trauma of having been turned."

Ichigo nodded. "Makes sense," He agreed. "So it's kind of like having a panic attack? Only a hundred times worse."

"Exactly," Senna said. "So, just like how to stop a panic attack, in order to hold back the Change outside of the moon is to learn how to control your emotions. Learn to remain _calm._"

"Kind of hard," He snorted. "The fear of Changing is enough to make you Change!"

"Well, you need to face that fear." Senna remarked. "If you go to therapy because you have a phobia, the therapist will make you face it head on. Like if you are afraid of water they'll make you go swimming. Not right away, of course, but eventually, when they thought you were ready. And we're going to do sort of the same thing."

Ichigo raised a brow at her. "So what you're saying is...you're going to make me Change so I won't be afraid of it anymore?" He wasn't sure if he liked that idea...

Senna nodded. "Pretty much," She smiled.

Ichigo scowled. "I don't know..."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "The point of doing it is to help you feel you have control over it. If you learn to transform at will, it'll help you feel more confident in yourself over the whole matter."

Ichigo looked at her. "But what if I can't stop it? And someone gets hurt?"

Senna shook her head. "We'll take precautions. Whenever we practice we'll be doing it in the basement of that club. We'll take every step to ensure your- and everyone's- safety." She said reassuringly.

Ichigo frowned for a moment, staring at her as they walked back towards his apartment in the dark, and then nodded. "Okay...I trust you." He said finally.

Senna smiled. "Good." She said, looking ahead to see the _Urahara Shoten_ coming into sight. "We'll go back another day. I have to learn the schedule of the club to see which days we can sneak in and practice. We can't do it while everyone is there, otherwise we might get caught and thrown out."

He nodded as they walked around to the back of the building. When they reached the door, Ichigo turned to Senna. "Thank you, seriously." He said. "It means a lot to have some help in all of this..."

She smiled softly, shaking her head. "It's no problem. It's just nice to have a friend."

He returned the smile, turning to open the door to the staircase leading to his apartment, but stopped when Senna reached out and took his hand.

"Wait," She called softly.

Ichigo turned, raising a curious brow. "What is it?" He asked.

Senna stared up at him, her eyes scanning his own for something he wasn't sure of. She looked...indecisive about something.

"Senna?"

"Can I try something?" She asked suddenly. "And you not freak out?"

He frowned, confused. "Um...sure? What is it?"

Senna stared up at him, and once he answered she reached and took his other hand in her own, saying nothing. Ichigo was about to ask again what it was she wanted to try, but was interrupted as Senna shot forward and captured his lips with her own.

Ichigo's eyes widened as she kissed him, his heart skipping a beat from the shock. She had to get up on her tiptoes to reach his lips, and he could feel her body press slightly against his as she closed her eyes and did so. He stared at her, feeling her soft lips against his. This was a whole new experience for him, and he didn't know what to do.

This wasn't his first kiss. That had been when he was nine, and it had actually been with Tatsuki. It was after karate class, and both were just curious as to what it was like. They were just nine, no real feelings or anything, and the kiss had been really awkward, though nice and...wet. When they pulled back they had both been blushing and shrugged off the idea of kissing as nothing more than over-dramatized. But this kiss was different, though still just as awkward- if not more.

It was different because it was much more real. He could feel real emotion in it, unlike his first kiss with Tatsuki. Senna was pressing against him fully now, wrapping her arms around his neck as she deepened the kiss, despite the fact Ichigo had yet to kiss her back yet. She was warm, and soft, and he could taste her. She tasted like mint. He wasn't sure exactly what to do, but in the back of his mind a voice spoke softly:

_Why not?_

Why not indeed. He thought of how the other day he had to excuse himself to the bathroom because of his raging hormones after catching a glimpse of Orihime's breasts. Why should he fight it? Especially with someone who was just like him? Someone who could understand him, could comfort him because she knew exactly what he was going through. Senna was his first real friend since his accident happened. Why fight this?

Ichigo let his arms wrap around Senna's waist as he leaned into the kiss, using whatever experience he had taken from his kiss with Tatsuki to kiss her back. He could feel Senna smile against his lips, and he knew she was very happy with this.

He closed his eyes and let her press him back against the door to the _Urahara Shoten_, her hands running up through his hair. He had never experienced anything this intense before- without it being painful- and it was nice. He felt a calm inside of him, letting him forget everything for just a moment, and there was nothing else he could ask for but to forget.

When they pulled apart for breath, he could see her face flush and her eyes half-lidded with some sort of haze within them. He couldn't decipher the look she was giving him, but there was something inside of him that stirred at the sight of it.

"Thanks," She whispered inches from his lips, her fingers running over the little hairs on the back of his neck.

"For what?" He asked, staring down at her.

"For letting me try that," She giggled, and then leaned up to peck his lips. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Ichigo dumbly nodded, unsure of what to say. "Yeah, I'll see you."

Senna smiled, giving him another peck before pulling back and making her way away from the _Urahara Shoten_, leaving behind a rather dumbstruck Ichigo.

–

That night Ichigo lay awake in bed thinking about the kiss between him and Senna. Where had it come from? Does Senna...really have feelings for him?

The idea seemed odd. Sure Ichigo knew he wasn't that bad looking, but he didn't feel he was too interesting a person- at least not now after having lived with this disease for two years. How could Senna like him?

Was it because they shared this affliction?

Someone to relate to; someone who could really understand you when no one else could. Really, Ichigo did see the appeal. It was why he kissed her back, why he was feeling what he was feeling...did he like her too?

These thoughts kept him up for most of the night, and when he did fall asleep it wasn't until moments before the sun started to rise. He got maybe an hour of sleep before he had to wake up, and when his alarm went off he groaned and slammed his hand over it to make it stop.

He took a shower to wake himself up and dressed for school and made his way out. He played around with the thought of just staying home and sleeping in, but with how many times he's missed school from "personal days" he didn't think he could afford another free day. He needed to save those for his incidents.

So instead of staying in the glorious sanctuary of his soft, warm, cozy bed he grabbed his bag and put on his shoes and began to long walk to school, a tired frown on his face as he thought of the night before and the implications behind it.

Did this mean he and Senna were an item? Or was it just something they did and would leave it behind them? Ichigo didn't know what to expect the next time he saw her. Part of him hoped they were together, the part of him that wished for contact with another person, and another...was just confused.

Shouldn't he be ecstatic? To have the possibility of affection, of being able to connect with someone for the first time in so long. It seemed so marvelous, but there was a part of him...some part that whispered...it was not exactly right.

Was it because they were both _werewolves_? The word still made him shudder. Maybe it was because he still didn't fully grasp what he was, and he damn well still rejected it. Maybe his resentment towards his curse was pouring out towards Senna as well because she was the same?

But that wasn't a good reason to not try and make a bond. He was learning to control it, and Senna obviously had a handle on it as well, so he shouldn't resent her. She was just an unlucky victim of a bestial attack that left her cursed just like the one who attacked her- just like _him._

When Ichigo reached the school his head felt like it was full of jumbled thoughts, his mental capacity being pressed to fit them all together to figure out the main picture he seemed to be missing. He was sporting a nasty headache by the time he sat down in his desk, and his eyes felt like twenty pound bricks that he had to hold up in order to stay awake. All this thinking was making him even more weary, and so he decided to just stow it for after a nice nap when he could think properly and try to sort through all of these odd feelings inside of him.

"Yo! Ichigo!"

Ichigo wanted to groan as someone called his name. He lifted his head to watch Tatsuki and Orihime enter the classroom, the former of the two waving her arm to gain his attention. He placed on his natural scowl, and nodded to them as they came up to his desk.

"What's with the long face, Ichigo?" Tatsuki teased, leaning against his desk. "You look like someone kicked your puppy."

Ichigo almost wished that were the case, because then the solution would be to just kick someone's ass and everything would be fine. "Didn't get much sleep last night,"

"Oh, you should have tried some warm milk, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime said, standing beside Tatsuki with her usual bubbly demeanor. "That usually helps me when I can't sleep. A nice warm cup of milk with a bean paste sandwich!"

Ichigo stomach nearly churned at the thought. "Ah...no, I'm fine, Inoue." He said.

Tatsuki rolled her eyes. "Well, anyway," She said, dismissing the subject. "We were wondering if you wanted to eat lunch with us today. You've been avoiding everyone forever now and I think it's about time you associate with us once again."

He snorted. "I'm not _avoiding_ you," He said.

_Protecting_ was a better word for it.

"Yes, you have." Tatsuki asserted firmly. "And it ends today. We're eating lunch together, the three of us, and you are going to live with it."

Ichigo's scowl turned a little more exhausted as he stared at the narrowed look Tatsuki was giving him, and the pleading look Orihime was adding into the mix from Tatsuki's side. He tried to think of a reason to not have to eat lunch with them, but knew from the look on Tatsuki's face that 'no' was just not an acceptable answer.

With a sigh, he nodded. "Alright, fine. I'll eat lunch with you guys." He relented.

Both Tatsuki and Orihime smiled at him; Orihime's smile more of a ray of sunshine while Tatsuki had more of a triumphant smirk.

"Good, see ya then, Ichigo." Tatsuki waved as the two of them went to their seats.

Ichigo blew out a long breath from his nose as he leaned down on his folded arms on his desk. Why did everyone feel the need to butt into his business lately?

The teacher came in to begin the class, and Ichigo didn't find much energy to care as his exhaustion was starting to get the better of him. He tried his best to pay attention to the lesson, but really all he was doing was fighting with his eyelids as they flapped open and closed every couple of seconds. Damn Senna for keeping him up all night, what with her showing him the club and for confusing him with that kiss. She couldn't do all of that earlier in the day so he could have gotten a few more hours of sleep?

He wondered if maybe Urahara would let him take the day off and then make it up Thursday- one of his new days off. He had the privilege of being able to take extra days off, thanks to the money he'd now be getting from his father. He should maybe start making plans to go visit them this weekend to hold up on his end of the bargain. He did miss his family, and he figured it was only a matter of time before they called him out on his absence.

It wasn't long before his thoughts began to stray, and he was falling asleep. He lost the battle with his eyelids and the voice of his teacher began to fade away as he shut off his brain and let himself slip into dreamland.

–

_The air was crisp, the sun's rays beaming down on the trees that swished languidly in the wind. The forest was silent and peaceful as the mid-morning scent filled the air. Life coursed through the forest, beating like a heart as if truly _alive_._

_Wind whipping through his hair, Ichigo smiled as he ran on all fours along the forest path. The feeling of freedom, of roaming on this wide, open space was so intoxicating that he felt like a drunk sailor coming home from the war. He basked in the life that pumped through the forest, flourishing with happiness just like the scenery did with beauty. _

_He sped past trees, winding around them in playful zigzags that amused him. He was so fast, so agile, his body twisted and turned through the brush with ease. It was such a rush, a high so high that he never wanted to come back down. _

_He hopped over a shrubbery, his legs pumping with so much power that he felt the simple jump brought him above the clouds, and then he touched ground once more and was off like a bullet through the forest. _

_As he ran, he caught a scent. It was live, but not a prey. It was familiar, comforting. It smelled like lilacs. He followed it, the fur along his torso tousling in the wind. _

_Ichigo came upon an opening and stopped, his legs digging into the ground abruptly. He looked around, sniffing at the air as he searched for the source of the scent. He could see nothing but the green of the grass, and frowned in confusion. Where was that scent coming from?_

_Just as he was about to move on, something rustled the bushes to his left. He turned his head and growled, his hackles raising as he turned fully and crouched in preparation for a fight. _

_From out of the bushes came a figure. The figure jumped into the air, high above Ichigo's head, the sun blotting out the creature's features. All he could see for a good few moments was its outline. _

_An outline that looked just like a wolf's. _

_The thing landed, and indeed he found it to be a wolf- a white female wolf. It turned to look back at him with captivating eyes...the color of grapes, but a deeper shade of purple. Violet. Where did he recognize those eyes from?_

_The white wolf yipped and then took off into the brush, challenging Ichigo to a race. His momentary confusion was left behind him as he accepted the challenge and ran after the wolf, pumping his strong legs to catch up to the female wolf. It was fast, almost faster than he, but almost was the key word as he ran up beside the white wolf and gave a sloppy grin as they locked eyes for a moment before continuing their run. _

_They danced together through the brush, zigzagging around trees and crossing each other's paths as they tried to outrun the other. Ichigo had never felt such elation in his life, such pure, unadulterated _freedom. _He felt right, like this was where he was supposed to be for the rest of his life._

_He jumped over a log, smiling as for a split second he was flying like a bird. When he landed he saw the white wolf running up beside him with a happy bark. He smiled at the wolf, and then with a playful yip jumped into the air to tackle her to the ground, but when he was about to crash into her she disappeared and he stumbled to the ground in confusion. He stood, whipping his head around in search of the white wolf, sniffing the air to try and trace her scent. He could smell it, the scent of lilacs, but he couldn't follow it. It seemed to be everywhere now, coming from every direction. He couldn't find the female, and when he couldn't he felt sorrow in his heart. Where was she?_

_In his desperation to find her, he craned his head up to the sky and howled. _

"_Ichigo..." _

_He paused in his howling, his amber eyes shooting wide open as he turned and searched for the owner of the voice. Someone was calling his name, a familiar voice. He couldn't place it, but for some reason he was brought to full attention as it softly called to him. _

"_Ichigo." _

_He tried to answer with words, but found he couldn't. The words were caught in his throat, and instead the sound that came out was a mangled whimper. He wanted to find the female, bring back that joyous feeling that he had been experiencing in her company. But she was nowhere to be found, and the voice seemed to be coming from within his own head. _

"_Ichigo, you need to wake up." _

_Wake up? What was the voice talking about? Was he sleeping? Was this all just a dream? _

"Wake up!"

–

"Ichigo! Wake up!"

Ichigo was brought back to reality as a hand smacked him over the head, effectively banging his forehead against his desk and making him shoot up with a loud groan. He held the back of his head, turning to glare at the person who had hit him, but freezing in place as he saw who it was.

"R-Rukia?" He gasped.

Rukia stood over his desk with a frown on her delicate features, her eyes narrowed at him as she crossed her arms over her ample chest. He shocked to see she looked different than before, her hair having been cut since the last time he saw her. Before it had cascaded down to her shoulders in long raven strands, but now it was cut to just below her ears, the stray strand still in between her eyes. It was weird to see her with this new haircut, but he couldn't help but think it was slightly...cute.

He also took note to the bandage over her cheek, covering the cut she had received..._that_ night.

"Teacher said to wake you up," Rukia said, ignoring the shocked look on his face as he gaped at her. "It's lunch time, and she said if you slept through her next lesson she'd give you detention."

Ichigo opened his mouth to speak, but didn't know what to say. He couldn't find the words to express what he was feeling at seeing her again. He wanted to ask if she was alright, ask what she was doing back here so soon, ask where she had been. But none of these questions came out as he just stared at her.

When he said nothing, she just nodded and turned away from him. "Come to the roof," She said softly. "We need to talk."

With that, she left the classroom, leaving Ichigo completely dumbstruck.

He sat there for a few moments, unsure of what to do at first. After Rukia left the room, Tatsuki and Orihime walked up to his desk, looking curious and confused.

"Ichigo? What did Rukia just say to you?" Tatsuki asked.

Ichigo dumbly turned to look at them, blinking as he was finally processing everything. Rukia was back...and she wanted to talk on the roof.

"She just...said hi." He said, standing from his desk to fix up his bag as quickly as he could.

"Oh, alright," Tatsuki said, shrugging. "So, you ready to eat lunch with us?"

Ichigo shook his head, placing his bag down under his desk for safe keeping. "Sorry, but I need to take care of something." He said.

"What?" Tatsuki practically wailed. "But you promised-"

"Sorry," Ichigo cut her off. "Tomorrow, I swear."

Ichigo ignored Tatsuki's protests and the dejected look on Orihime's face as he shot from the classroom into the hallway, turning to look down over the heads of the many students heading outside to eat their lunch to see the bob of raven hair exiting out a set of doors to the staircase that led to the roof. He frowned, pushing through the crowd after her, mentally preparing himself for what was to come.

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><p><strong>Rukia is back! And with the new haircut! Kind of like in the Bleach Manga, except not as epic and I totally fudged it up! I suck!<strong>

**The IchiSenn in this chapter was fun to do, solely because I know how many of you are going to be angry at me for doing it. But before you start throwing the axes at me! I should tell you, there is a something off about the scene in which they kiss, and whoever can guess it right will get a PM from me saying you are right! So, whoever can get it right will get a little sneak peak of what is to come! Leave yer reviews with yer ideas!**

**What's with Ichigo's dream? Hmm? They say dreams have hidden meanings in them, and I'm sure this dream has one as well. I wonder what it could be...**

**REVIEW!**

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><p><em><strong>P.S. <strong>_**I wanted to let you guys know that my book, ****_Dehumanized_, is coming closer and closer to publication! The cover art is done, and now I'm just waiting on the editing team to get back to me. But, I feel that you all have been so patient with me with everything that I figured I'd post a little excerpt of my book on DeviantART! The link is in my profile. Go to it, and you can read a small piece of my up coming book, _Dehumanized!_**


	20. Days Since Incident:       2

**Wow! Last chapter was my most reviewed chapter so far! And it broke the 200 mark! Woo! 200 reviews baby!**

**I figured since everyone was so generous to review last chapter that I'd get my ass into gear and write out this long awaited chapter! I wanted to wait a bit, let the other chapter settle before updating again- at least a few days, ya know?- but I decided to update today! **

**Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

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><p><em>Days since incident: 2<em>

Rukia was waiting for Ichigo when he opened the door to the roof of the school building. She was leaning up against the fence, her hands clasped together behind her back as she looked out over the students milling out onto the grounds to eat their lunch. Ichigo frowned at the forlorn look in her eyes, and couldn't help but feel it was his fault for the sad look on her face.

"Rukia," He called softly, letting the door behind him close. She turned to him, and he walked closer to her, but kept his distance just in case.

"Hey," She said, pushing off from the fence to face him. "Thanks for coming up,"

"Yeah, no problem." He said lightly, feeling awkward. "So...what do you...want to talk about?"

Rukia gave him a frown, and he knew his question was rather redundant even before she said, "You know damn well what I want to talk about."

"Yeah, sorry," Ichigo said, scratching the back of his head. "So...you're okay?"

She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked back out over the grounds. "Yeah...I'm fine. Couldn't walk for a while, but the soreness has eased up enough for me to come to school today."

"Why did you?" He asked. "I would have...I figured you'd stay home for at least a few weeks to recuperate."

"I didn't have a choice," She said, scowling at something that passed through her mind. "They don't know that I'm a little...traumatized..."

Ichigo felt his guilt increase by tenfold, and he looked down at his feet as he fought for the right words. What could he say? "Sorry I almost ate you" seemed a little untactful. He racked his brain for a good way to apologize, and after about two minutes of silence he finally spoke, "I-I'm...I'm so sor-"

"It's okay," Rukia cut him off, shocking him.

He stared at her for a moment, processing what she had just said. It was...okay? "R-Really?" He stammered.

She nodded, turning to look at him. "I understand...I guess. You weren't in control...and I'm the one who ran after you, even when you tried to run away and told me to get back. I didn't listen and chased you like a moron. So...I get that it wasn't really your fault."

Ichigo blew out a breath of relief. At least she didn't blame him, like he feared she did. It had been weighing on his conscious that she might be stewing over how much she hated him. But to hear her say she didn't blame him...it made him feel so much better.

"I've been researching," Rukia continued, her fingers tapping against her forearm in a rhythm Ichigo didn't recognize. "After I got home...I immediately went to the internet about...what you are."

He began to fiddle his fingers inside of his pockets, feeling anxious all of a sudden. "And?" He inquired. "What did you find?"

"A whole lot of Twilight FanFiction, for one." Rukia snorted, shaking her head. "Mostly just lore...and from what I saw that night more than half of it is crap."

"What else?" Ichigo pressed.

Rukia looked up into his eyes, and for some reason Ichigo felt a little prickle of something in the back of his brain. What was it? It was like...recognition. Why was that? Something about those eyes...

"Beast attacks," She said finally, letting her hands dangle at her sides. "Reports of strange animal sightings from men and women and children everyone has dubbed 'insane' because they believed to have seen some sort of half-man half-wolf creature in the woods. Even the people who believe in...what you are think most of it is crap, simply because more than half of those sightings were done outside of the full moon."

"The full moon..." Ichigo said hesitantly, rolling around a piece of lint between his fingers in his pocket. "It's the only definite. It's the only night when we know it's coming; any other day it could happen at any time."

"So you can transform outside of the full moon?" She asked, looking hungry for answers.

Ichigo felt awkward. He didn't really want to answer these questions, didn't want to divulge into this facts because...speaking them out loud seemed ridiculous! All this seemed so ridiculous. He closed his eyes for a moment, willing himself to just wake up in his old room where his family was- where his _mother_ would be. But, when he opened his eyes, he saw nothing but the answer-starving Rukia Kuchiki staring at him waiting for him to speak.

Finally, with a sigh of resignation, he nodded. "Yeah...I can transform outside the full moon."

She nodded, mulling this over. "Is it voluntary?"

"Not in the least,"

"Why does it happen?"

Ichigo shook his head. "I don't know...something about when I get worked up. When I'm angry is when it happens the most, when I'm not calm."

"Like when you fought with those guys at the club..." Rukia mumbled to herself, causing Ichigo to remember that night when he began to Change in front of Rukia.

"Yes," He said softly. "Like that night..."

"Is there a way to stop it once it starts?" She asked next.

Ichigo thought of Senna from the night before at the club basement, and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm working on it..."

She nodded, not pressing further on the subject as she continued on to the next question, "Before you mentioned a 'we', does that mean there's more? Are you part of some sort of pack or something?"

He gave a derisive snort. "No, there's no _pack._ It's just me. I was given this...this..._curse_ two years ago and I've been alone since..." He clenched his fists in anger, once again thinking about the injustice of it all. Why him? Why must it be _him_ that was cursed? Why couldn't it be someone who deserved it? He couldn't just live his life happily as a _normal_ human being?

_Why?_

That's all his life was now: _Why_ and _What if. _Never an answer, always a question. He should have died that night with his poor mother when that beast came and attacked their camp. He shouldn't be here, suffering like this. He should be at peace, he should be allowed _happiness._

But, apparently, not.

"I'm sorry," Rukia said lightly watching him seethe over his situation.

Ichigo looked up at her, realizing he was losing his cool and that now that she knew what could happen when he was angry she was becoming a little apprehensive about being around him right now. He sucked in a quick breath to calm his thoughts, and shook his head.

"Don't be," He said. "Not your fault I am what I am."

She pursed her lips. "Right..." She said. "So...how do you manage?"

"Barely," He replied.

She stared at him for a moment, something being mulled over in that head of hers that Ichigo wasn't too sure of. What could she possibly be thinking?

"Let me help you," She said finally.

Ichigo blinked in surprise, staring at her in confusion. "What? Help me with..._this?_" He gestured to himself.

Rukia nodded. "I've been thinking...that night, when you..._It_ attacked me...I realized a lot about myself and how I've been my whole life."

He raised a brow in question. "What do you mean?"

"I've been a bitch," Rukia said, shaking her head in shame. "Everything I've done...all the people I bullied. I've realized how wrong it's been...almost dying does that to a person."

He averted his gaze again.

"So, I decided," She continued, unperturbed by his visual avoidance. "I want to be a better person. I don't want to be a...as you put it, _spoiled bitch_ anymore. So, I want to help you learn to control this thing."

Ichigo frowned at her. "And how do you propose you do that? How can you help me?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure...but I want to help in any way I can. I have a lot of money at my disposal, obviously, and instead of flaunting it I want to put it to good use. Tell me, what's the one thing you need the most to help learn to control this thing?"

He took a moment to think about it. What did he need? A drug or something, maybe. But then drugs probably wouldn't help. But then what?

Suddenly, it hit him.

"I need a cage," He said.

Rukia looked at him, her brow perching. "A cage?"

He nodded. "A cage. For emergencies, and for the winter months. Waking up naked in the woods while it's snowing is not a pleasant thing." He said, shivering at the thought of last winter when he had to trudge barefoot through the snow to get home after a Change.

Rukia nodded in understand. "Okay. I'll have a cage built. Where?"

Ichigo thought about it for a second, and then remembered last night. "The club." He said simply.

She blinked at him, her brow rising in surprise. "The club? The one my brother owns?" She inquired, to which he nodded. "Why there?"

"Because the basement is the perfect place for me to transform," He said. "When there's a party going on, the noise can muffle the sound of..._It_ and with a cage I can be reassured I won't break free. Plus, no one's allowed down there."

Rukia hummed in thought, considering this as she scanned his face. "How do you know all of this?" She asked.

"A friend," Ichigo answered simply, flushing slightly in embarrassment.

"A friend?" She echoed.

"Yeah..." He said. "Someone...like me. She's been helping me. She's teaching me how to control my Changes."

Rukia crossed her arms once again, beginning that tapping motion again with her fingers. "I see..." She whispered. "Alright, I'll have it done. I'll even give you a key so you can walk in even if there's a party going on."

Ichigo nodded. "Thank you," He said sincerely. "This means...a lot to me."

She suddenly smirked at him, shocking him in his humble moment. "Wow, _the_ Ichigo Kurosaki thanking me? I guess the world has really ended."

Ichigo blushed, remembering how out in the woods he had said the same thing to her. He snorted, giving a sight grin at her. "Bask in the moment, midget, because it's a one time thing."

She chuckled, ignoring his comment on her height and just shrugging. "Oh, the moment is giving me tingles." She teased.

He also chuckled, a comfortable silence reigning as they just stood there chuckling. The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, and both turned to head back inside, but Ichigo had one last thing he wanted to discuss before they did so.

"Hey, hold on," He said. She turned back to him, raising a brow.

"Yeah?"

"When the cops came," Ichigo said, knitting his brows. "They held me in a interrogation room for a few hours, but then just let me go. They said you told them 'everything.' What did you say to them for them to just let me go like that?"

Rukia shrugged slightly, though Ichigo could see a slight pink tint to her cheeks. "I just told them we were having sex out in the woods all night,"

Ichigo's mouth nearly unhinged in shock. "W-What?" He balked. "You...you told them we were...having _sex? _Why would you do that?"

_You said the same thing to your father,_ A voice in the back of his mind whispered. Ichigo promptly ignored it.

"What else was I supposed to tell them?" She said. "I have a reputation for being a bit wild and it wasn't that hard for them to believe such a thing. It was the best excuse."

Ichigo's face was scarlet as he stared at her, his mouth wide open in shock. _That's_ how she got him off the hook?

"You're fucking crazy..." He ran a hand over his face in exasperation.

"And you're a wolf, so we're even." She said, opening the door and walking inside, not waiting for him to follow.

Ichigo grunted. She had a point.

As he ran inside after her, he caught her scent in the air. He stopped at the top of the stairs, frowning in confusion as he sniffed, taking it in. It was familiar, in a way that said something to him. But how so? He couldn't quite place it, but there was something in the back of his mind murmuring something he couldn't quite understand. He decided to just shrug it off. He'd worry about it later, after he got some sleep.

Not like the scent of lilacs made very much sense anyway.

–

The rest of the day was spent in a calm mood. Ichigo had more energy to stay awake for the lesson, especially since every time he started to doze off Rukia would throw something at his head to jerk him awake, causing a few chuckles to be aimed at him. But other than that he was peaceful, solely because a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders now that he not only knew Rukia was okay, but also that she didn't blame him for what happened.

Not only did she not blame him...she wanted to _help_ him.

He hadn't expected anything like that, but was very happy about it. With a full fledged cage specifically made to hold in the beast under a noisy building where no one would be able to hear him he could finally, _finally_ begin to try to make a semblance of a normal life for himself.

_Maybe I _can _be happy._ He thought.

With a system set up to take care of his Changes he could be more confident in his ability to take care of himself- and everyone else. Though there might be times when he would have to run out into the woods to let the beast free- he remembered what Senna said about caging the beast too much- he still could be content in the knowledge that he had _help_. He had Senna, and now Rukia who wanted to help him. Why on Earth they would want to help someone like him, he didn't know, but he wasn't going to start questioning it when things were finally looking up for him.

When the bell finally rang to signal the end of the school day, Ichigo let loose a breath of relief. He could finally go home to rest. He would get in a little sleep before he had to go to work- which he decided he would go to today instead of skipping- and then do his job and properly pass out.

As Ichigo merged in with the throng of students exiting the building, he heard a particular voice calling out to him. He turned, watching as Rukia jogged up to him with a slight huff. "Jeez, you walk so fast." She complained.

"I think the issue isn't me walking too fast..." Ichigo said, grinning at her cockily. "I think it's more that you walk too slowly with those tiny legs of yours."

Ichigo grunted as Rukia punched him on the arm. He rubbed it, glaring slightly at her.

"Asshole," She snorted. "Anyway, I was wondering if you needed a ride home."

Ichigo furrowed his brows in confusion. "You're offering me a ride? Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you wanted to be different." He noted.

Rukia scowled at him. "I'm starting to feel you're telling me 'no' and I should just let your dumb ass walk."

He chortled softly. "There's the old Rukia,"

She huffed. "Fine, be that way. I was trying to be nice and offer you a ride but if you're just going to be a di-"

"Alright, alright." Ichigo raised his hands. "I accept your offer. You don't have to whine."

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Whatever," She said, letting a small smirk place itself on her face. "We can talk a little more about the..." Her eyes roamed the area around them, making sure there wasn't anyone listening to their conversation. "..._cage._"

Ichigo frowned, nodding as he followed her out of the school towards the familiar white limousine parked out front.

–

As the old chauffeur bowed and opened the door for the two teens, a quick _click_ sounded off, freezing the moment in time, displaying on the back of a long scoped digital camera that was being observed by Detective Shuuhei Hisagi, who was seated in the passenger seat of a discreet black Honda that was parked down the street at the corner where neither Ichigo nor Rukia could see them.

"Why are we following the kid again?" In the driver's seat sat a man with a large beer-belly and black hair that he had stylized in a spike at the top of his head. He was dressed in a similar black suit as Shuuhei, a bag of chips in his lap as he picked through it and munched on a few.

Shuuhei placed the camera down, scanning through the pictures he had already taken of Ichigo. "Because...I don't have a good feeling with this kid. There's something about him that bugs me."

The man in the driver's seat, Detective Omaeda Marechiyo , snorted. "A hunch is not a good enough reason to stalk some kid. He had kidnapping over his head, and the supposed kidnapee dropped the charges. What else could this kid be up to?"

"I don't know..." Shuuhei said, scowling as he watched the white limo pull out from the curb and make its way away from the school. "I just feel like there's something up. Obviously those two aren't a couple. Why would a Kuchiki be with some middle-class kid like Ichigo Kurosaki?"

"Teenagers man," Omaeda shrugged. "They're probably just having some fun."

"I think there's more to it," Shuuhei retorted. "And I'm going to find out what it is."

Omaeda shook his head. "Whatever," He said, placing the chips aside as he started up the engine of the Honda. "Let's go. If you're serious about tailing this kid, we better get a move on before we lose them."

Shuuhei nodded as his partner began to drive down the street after the limo. He looked down at the camera, flipping through the pictures he had taken of Ichigo Kurosaki. They were all mostly just of him walking to school, and a few faraway pictures of him sitting by the window in class. All of them were useless, nothing out of the ordinary for a teenage boy. But there was one picture he had that was strange, something that was fueling his desire to discover what it was this kid was up to.

It was a single shot, one he had taken after arriving at the _Urahara Shoten_ late at night to begin his stakeout. He hadn't expected to see anything, just really was preparing to tail the kid when he got up for school, but as Omaeda slept in the driver's seat and he just sat eating a burger they had bought earlier, he had seen it, and had taken out his camera to capture it.

The picture was of Ichigo Kurosaki, walking side by side with a woman with purple hair in a tail behind her head.

_What were you doing out with another woman late at night, if you're supposed to be with Rukia Kuchiki?_

Shuuhei looked at the purple haired girl, frowning deeply. Who was she? What were they doing? He wanted to find out, because something told him Ichigo Kurosaki was _not_ a normal seventeen-year-old boy.

_I'm going to find you out, Kurosaki. Be ready for me. _

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><p><strong>Oh no! Shuuhei is back! You didn't think I'd just let that go, did you? Of course not! Another obstacle for Ichigo to overcome! But don't worry, I have plans for Shuuhei! He will become a bigger part of this story than you might think. <strong>

**Thank you guys for your wondrous reviews! They mean a lot to me! I was actually thinking about scraping this story and replacing it with a new Werewolf IchiRuki, simply because I was worried people were getting frustrated with the way I was taking it- what with the whole slow beginning and Rukia's overly bitchy character and the IchiSenn. But you guys have shown me you do love it and that I should continue with it till the end!**

**Oh, and to those of you who guessed what the issue was with the IchiSenn kiss, most of you were close. Real close. One of you just barely hit it on the head, but was just slightly lacking. You guys will learn in a future chapter what it was!**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Rukia is going to help, since she's trying to be a better person. Like I said, a near death experience can drastically change a person, and Rukia has been changed for the better, though of course she will have some of her old traits, as you saw at the end there haha. And don't worry, the IchiRuki is coming!**

**REVIEW!**


	21. Days Since Incident:    3

**I am really sorry for my lateness! I've been pretty preoccupied with my personal stuff, so it's been hard to be able to sit down and write this out! But I finally did it! **

**-Excuse time-**

**If you guys hadn't noticed, I finally finished _Potentia De Mens!_ Woo! And almost immediately afterwards my friend came to visit from TN for two weeks. Which was fun as hell! Me and him played video games like our lives depended on it and we watched Trigun and Code Monkeys. It was awesome!**

**Plus, I've been distracted for the past few weeks by an incredible story! I've been so obsessed with it, it's all I've been able to think about! I just finished reading it last night, and I'm sad it's over! You should all go check it out! _Story of A Girl_ by _sallythedestroyerofworlds23._**

**Anyway, I won't keep ya for too long. Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters associated with the Anime/Manga. They belong to Tite Kubo. Please support the official release!**

* * *

><p><em>Days since incident: 3.<em>

After Rukia dropped Ichigo off at home he decided to go to work after all. With the events of the day he was awake enough to put in the hours before walking up into his apartment and falling asleep on his bed for nearly ten hours straight before his alarm clock woke him up for school the next day. He felt much more refreshed after such a long, peaceful night of sleep and he was ready for the day as he slipped out of bed and went into the shower to wash up.

As he stepped out, he heard a knock come from outside in his apartment. He frowned, wondering who would be coming around at this strange hour before school.

"Hold on!" He called as he ran out into his apartment to get dressed. The knocking ceased, but he could sense the person was out there waiting for him to open the door. He slipped on his school uniform, draping the towel over his still wet hair as he made his way over to the door to his apartment.

As he opened it, he wasn't expecting the loud cry that came from the other side.

"Surprise attack from the front!"

"Wha-"

Ichigo was so dumbfounded he didn't react immediately as a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his neck and he was nearly dropped to the floor as the owner of the arms put all their weight on him. He was able to get his wits just in time to balance himself before he fell, but he still stumbled slightly as the person swung from his neck like a monkey from a vine. He looked down at the person, and was met with a explosion of purple directly in his face.

"S-Senna? What the hell're you doing?" Ichigo stammered.

Senna giggled, letting go of the larger man and standing on her feet as she grinned up at him. "I couldn't resist. I knew you'd be too distracted with trying to figure out who'd be at your door to see me coming."

Ichigo gave a slight frown at her, reaching down to grab the towel that had fallen from his head. "Why _are_ you here at this hour? You usually come by later in the day."

She shrugged. "I would've come last night to bring you to the club to begin our training, but there was a party last night I didn't see coming. So I decided we'd go now."

"Hold on," He said, shaking his head. "I have school. I can't go right now."

Senna frowned, crossing her arms. "Skip," She said simply.

Ichigo raised a brow at her. "I can't just _skip_ class. My grades have already suffered enough from this crap." He said.

She gave a pout, and Ichigo knew she wasn't ready to give up any time soon. "But this is _important_, Ichigo. What matters more: your grades, or the safety of the general populace?"

_Damn her and her logic..._

Ichigo gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine, you win."

Senna broke out in a sunny grin. "_Bitchin'!_" She exclaimed, surprising Ichigo with her language. "Let's get going. We've got a lot of stuff to talk about."

–

_11:12 AM._

He was late.

Rukia was kicking her leg up and down under her desk as her violet eyes darted between the clock and the door to the classroom, watching for any sign of orange that might appear. She was growing annoyed with Ichigo's absence, having wanted to discuss more with him about that cage he wanted. She had spent the better part of the night making calls with a few contractors, working out a schedule where they could make the cage, but _discreetly. _A few of the discussions had fallen through, as most of the contractors wanted a ridiculously high amount for working under such conditions, and she had told them to shove it. It wasn't that she couldn't afford the prices they were throwing at her, it was just she didn't want to attract her brother's attention with her costly endeavors. She wanted Byakuya's nose out of this as much as possible.

After a few dozen failed attempts, she had finally made a deal with a local contractor who was willing to build a cage under the club with a reasonable price and very few questions. When asked about the dimensions of the cage, her answer had been clear but odd:

"Big enough for a plus-sized bear."

Pink still clung to her cheeks as she thought about the suspicious hum the man on the other side of the phone gave when she said this. He hadn't pressed though, and she was thankful for that. They would begin work the following week, and she had wanted to tell Ichigo the good news. But apparently the idiot wasn't showing up!

Rukia glanced up at the clock for the nth time that day, seeing that it now read _11:20_. Her scowl deepened, and her fingers began tapping on the top of her desk. Lunch would come very soon, but she wasn't feeling too keen on waiting for it to do what she had decided to do.

Raising her hand, she waited until Ms. Ochi noticed and nodded for her to speak.

"May I please use the restroom?" Rukia asked.

"Fine, but don't take too long! This will be on the test!" Ms. Ochi said, igniting a collective groan from the rest of Rukia's classmates. Rukia nodded to her teacher, standing and making her way out of the classroom. She planned on skipping the rest of the day and heading to Ichigo's to see what the hell was up with him. She wouldn't admit she was worried, she just was frustrated that he wasn't showing up to hear her important news pertaining to his cage.

As she walked down the halls, she found she actually had to use the bathroom. She slipped into the closest girl's restroom and found it to be empty. She quickly went into one of the stalls to do her business, mulling over what she'd say when she confronted Ichigo about his absence. It barely took her five minutes before she was out of the stall and at the sink to wash her hands.

She turned on the faucet, lathering up her hands with the soap before settling them under the lukewarm water to scrub. She enjoyed how the water felt on her skin, and lingered for a split-second longer than usual before pulling back to flick her hands of some of the wetness. She grabbed a nearby paper towel and began to dry her hands, looking down at the still running water of the sink. She listened to the running stream, the sound soothing her slightly. Her mind began to drift slightly as she stared at the water, the sound seemingly growing louder in her ears. She frowned, listening as the sound of the faucet spewing water grew exponentially louder.

"What the hell...?" She reached out to the sink, ready to turn off the water. Her eyes drifted upwards slightly unconsciously, and what she saw made her head snap up to stare in horror at the mirror in front of her.

Instead of seeing her reflection, she saw the tall, hulking, hairy figure of the werewolf. Her eyes widened and a gasp left her lips as she stood paralyzed to the spot.

The werewolf growled at her, its glowing eyes burning straight into her own with malice and hunger. It gave a rumble, and she felt a terrified chill run down her spine. Suddenly, without warning, she heard own voice calling out, "_Come on!_"

She knew it was her own voice, but she knew she hadn't spoken. The words with her voice sounded stern and commanding, but she could tell there was an underlying fear in it as well. She knew that fear all too well, and she found her eyes prickling as the beast snorted and peeled back its lips to reveal those fangs she had been dreading the past few days. It roared, spearing towards her with impossible speed.

Rukia cried out, falling to the floor to dodge the beast's attack. She swung her arms over her head, shutting her eyes tight as she braced for the sound of the monster's loud crash to the ground behind her; but it never came. She waited, expecting that predatory growl to come to signal the beast's next attack, but again nothing came. She chanced a peak behind her, her arm still held protectively over her head as she lay on the tiled floor of the school restroom. What she found shocked her to no end.

Nothing.

The restroom was completely empty, quiet and lonely as the only sound was the sink still running above her. She blinked, lifting her arms away from her head as she scanned the room for any sign of the werewolf. When she found nothing, she pushed herself up to her feet to stare dumbfounded at the stalls.

"H-Hello...?" She called attentively.

Only silence came in response. She realized she had imagined all of it; it had only been a hallucination. It hadn't been real. She turned to the mirror, staring at her pale complexion and shocked eyes. She looked down at the still running sink, and numbly reached up to turn it off. Once the water ceased, she felt a calm wash over her, as if all of this insanity was switched off as well. But she knew it wasn't. Deep in the back of her mind, she knew what had occurred that night on the full moon was real, and she was definitely _not_ in a horrible nightmare that she could easily wake up from and return to her normal life in the waking world.

This whole time she had been numbly accepting all of this madness, half of her still convinced it wasn't real. But in this moment it felt like her head was clearing of that cloud of doubt and the truth smacked her in the face in the form of the hallucination of the beast.

This was all real.

With this realization, her face paled considerably more so and she turned and raced to the nearest stall to release the contents of her stomach.

–

"She's building a cage?"

Ichigo nodded to Senna's rather dubious question. "Yeah. She really wants to help," He said.

During the walk to the club building Ichigo had begun explaining his conversation with Rukia the day before to Senna, who had been relieved to hear Rukia wasn't blabbing about their affliction. What with Rukia's connections as a Kuchiki, there was no telling what she could have done, whether or not anyone believed her.

It was easy for the two of them to sneak into the building, seeing as there was absolutely no one around in the vicinity to catch them. Once they were in the basement they had pulled up some boxes to sit on and were now discussing the recent event of Rukia's aid. Senna, so far, seemed suspicious.

"I don't know...it just seems weird she'd want to _help_ the person who almost killed her." She said, crossing her arms in thought.

Ichigo shook his head. "If she was going to do something, wouldn't she have done it when the police already had me? I don't think she is lying." He defended. He honestly believed Rukia was sincere. He wasn't sure why...but something deep down was whispering that he could trust her.

Senna narrowed her eyes at him slightly, and he was feeling a little disconcerted by the sight. He was always disturbed by the sight of a somber Senna, being so used to her cheerful and bubbly disposition. But ever since he had discovered she shared his curse he had been seeing this side of her more and more, and he was finding he didn't like it.

With a sigh, Senna dropped her arms at her sides. "Alright, if you say so." She said, and then grinned at him. "So, you ready to begin the first lesson?"

Ichigo perked up considerably at this, having been anxious to get started with whatever Senna had in mind to help him control his transformations. He couldn't imagine what it was they were going to do, and so getting the chance to finally hear what it was made him go silent and pay attention.

Senna pushed herself up from the cardboard box she had been sitting on and brushed her skirt off. With meticulous slowness, she took a few steps ahead of him and turned around, smiling at him as she straightened her posture much like how Ms. Ochi did before announcing a test. Ichigo waited patiently, intent on hearing what she had to say.

"First off," She began, crossing her arms once again as she settled her gaze onto the orange haired teen still sitting on the cardboard box in front of her. "let's start with some simple questions."

"Okay," Ichigo said, nodding.

"What is the biggest cause of your transformations?"

Ichigo frowned slightly, raising a brow at her. "What do you mean?"

"What usually causes you to transform?" She reiterated. "You don't just transform at random. There's always a trigger."

Ichigo remained quiet for a moment as he considered the question. For him, the thing that caused most of his transformations was his stress and frustration over being what he was. His fear of Changing usually was what triggered it.

"I guess...I get so worked up over trying not to Change that I end up Changing anyway." He answered, looking down at his hands as he mulled over this.

Senna nodded. "I had a feeling it was something like that." She said. "Do you remember our conversation the other day? About the doctor I met and her theory over why we transform outside the full moon?"

Ichigo vaguely recalled that day. "Yeah. The whole chemical thing, right?"

"Yeah," She said. "You made the analogy that it was like a panic attack. I was thinking about that, and it really is a great way to put it. So, if it's like a panic attack, we're going to be using some of the same methods therapists use to help patients to overcome their episodes."

His brows knitted in confusion. "What _are_ these methods exactly?"

She shrugged. "Some simple things. We'll be talking a lot...you'll be venting a lot of your frustrations to me...we'll learn some breathing techniques...and we're going to induce the transformation so you can learn to stop it while it's happening."

Ichigo nearly choked on his own saliva and sputtered loudly, "W-What?"

Senna grinned sheepishly. "Yeah...I knew you'd be pretty excited about that."

Ichigo stood from his seat, his eyes wide with fright as he stared at her. "I am _not_ going to willingly let myself transform! I thought we were doing this to try and avoid it! Why would I _want_ to do it?"

"Just listen," She placed her hands up in a sign of peace, urging him to calm down. "It's necessary. If we're going to get you over your fear of Changing, obviously we're going to have to face it head-on. It's the only way."

"Like hell it is!" Ichigo barked. "There's got to be another way!"

"There isn't, Ichigo!" Senna retorted. "It's the _only_ way to do this properly! Otherwise your fear will still be there and you'll just end up relapsing! You need to get over your fear, learn that _you_ control the Change. And the only way to do that is to willingly allow the Change to happen. There will be times when you're going to lose the battle and be the wolf for a few hours, but that's why we've got the cage! And after a few times-"

"A _few_ times?" He blurted. "Not only am I going to have to allow myself to Change, but more than _once_? This is _not_ what I thought this would-"

"Ichigo," Senna's voice cut him off, and he was once again faced with a new side of her that he was uncomfortable with. Her face was stern, and her tone followed suit easily. "You have to believe me, I wouldn't make you do this if it wasn't the only way. But it is. It's absolutely the only way to get control over yourself!"

Ichigo scowled, flexing his fists as he considered her words. He bit the inside of his cheek, closing his eyes as he took in a deep breath, trying to quell the beating of his heart at the thought of transforming. Such hell...such unbelievable torture, beyond words, and he'd be bringing it down onto himself willingly.

With a grunt and an aversion of his gaze, he finally spoke, "Fine,"

Senna nodded. "I'm sorry. But you just have to trust me, alright?"

Ichigo still didn't look at her, instead opting to glare at his feet like a toddler who was told he couldn't have a new toy. "Alright," He grunted.

A few moments of silence reigned, Senna just staring at him as he glared at his feet in indignation. He could feel her gaze burning into him, but he made no move to meet it. He heard her sigh, and her next words took him completely off guard.

"I've been thinking a lot about our kiss,"

Ichigo's eyes widened finally snapped up to meet her own. She was smiling at him coyly, a light blush covering her cheeks. She dropped her arms and folded her hands over her lap, staring intently at him, expectantly, waiting for his response.

"O-Oh yeah?" He stammered. He had purposefully avoided talking about it with Senna with the intention of seeing how she'd move with it. He wasn't sure what to say or do as she smiled at him, and he fidgeted uncomfortably in his spot.

"Yeah," She nodded, still smiling. "It really was...special."

Ichigo blushed sightly, looking away as he scratched the back of his head. "That's...good." He said.

Senna's smile faltered slightly, but she quickly covered it up. "Don't you think so?"

He looked back up at her, seeing the hope in her eyes. He opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. He placed his hands in his pockets, fighting for something to say. The way she was looking at him...it was so full of wistfulness that he was afraid of shattering it with the wrong answer. When the silence started getting more awkward, he just settled on a simple answer, "Yeah, I do."

This seemed to appease her, though she didn't say anything for a few moments. Then she broke out in a wide smile and took a few steps towards him.

–

When Ichigo and Senna were done in the basement they emerged out in the bright sunny day. Even though winter was just around the corner, this was one of the warmer days, and Ichigo couldn't help but enjoy the breeze that blew by to ruffle his orange locks slightly as he waited for Senna to close the door behind them and lock it back up so no one knew they had come around. When she was done, she turned to him with a smile, her lips slightly swollen and her eyes sparkling as she interlocked their arms together and began to lead him off back to his apartment.

He felt slightly awkward with their proximity, but he said nothing as they continued to walk. He contributed it to his lack of experience with this sort of thing. He wasn't used to having a girl all over him like this, but he didn't fight it.

They walked in silence, enjoying the peaceful day as they meandered through the sparsely empty street. There was no one in sight, not even a car, except for a single black Honda with tinted windows sitting idle on the side of the road. Ichigo didn't pay much attention to it, but when he glanced down at Senna he noticed her watching it with interest.

"You okay?" He asked, breaking their streak of silence.

Senna blinked, then turned to look up at him, quickly covering up the look she had been wearing with a smile. He wasn't able to tell what was going on behind that mask of hers, but he knew she was mulling over something important.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said. "Don't worry."

Ichigo scowled slightly, glancing at the Honda out of the corner of his eye. It was just sitting there, no activity at all going on. Why was Senna staring at it?

With a shrug, he let the suspicion fade away as the two of them made their way back to his apartment.

He didn't take notice to the blinking light flashing behind the windshield of the Honda.

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><p><strong>Since you guys all freaked about the last IchiSenn make-out I decided to just imply it this chapter instead of writing it out. Man! You guys really hate Senna :P<strong>

**Rukia is still having issues going on. Don't forget she's experiencing PTSD, and won't just forget about that night so easily. It's going to take time, and until she's over it she'll be having moments like that. So be prepared! Hopefully Ichigo can help -WinkWink-**

**I'll try to get my ass into gear! Without _Potentia De Mens_ to distract me, I can put more focus on this story! **

**REVIEW!**

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><p><em><strong>P.S. <strong>_**I wanted to say a little something before I went. A while back I posted a one-shot called ****_Monsters In The Club._ It's a really dark Fic, with Ichigo and Orihime as the main characters (NOT ICHIHIME!) and pretty much a IchiRuki VS IchiHime war broke out in my review section. I just wanted everyone to know I DON'T hate Orihime. I'm cool with her. I don't really like IchiHime, but I don't slander it. I did what I did with that story because I had an idea and did it. Not to do anything to Orihime. I just wanted to say that, thanks for listening! **


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